Starcrossed Lovers
by Mayet
Summary: AU Anzu is rescued by the vampire leader Yami and brought home. She is thankful, when everything seems back to normal, but after a fight he has to turn to her for help too. Will she overcome her fears and prejudices? Better than it sounds!
1. Default chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own YGO, no matter how much I would like too… sigh   
Starcrossed lovers 

Default chapter

It was almost midnight. Anzu was walking home. Normally she wouldn't be on her way home until the early morning, but since the manager wanted to try something new, there were now two shows every night and her's was the first. Only two weeks ago she wouldn't have minded (gr?), there would have been two gaurds to protect her from every attack, because she was the girlfriend of the most powerful vampire hunter, but after she broke up with him…

'_I'm better off without him!'_, she thought.

A cold breeze pulled at her jacket and made her shiver. It was winter and christmas wasn't very far ahead anymore. She didn't really know what to do then. It wasn't like she had many friends. That was Seto's fault too! He had made her paranoid. He didn't trust anyone, though she didn't either… It was kind of funny, really, how similar they had become!

'_I think, I'm going to pass christmas with Ishizu!'_, she decided.

Ishizu was her best friend since highschool. She was an egyptian archeologist, so Anzu didn't see her very much, but she would be in town at christmas. She told Anzu in a letter. _'That's going to be fun.'_

Again the wind sent shivers down her spine. When she looked up at the clouded sky, she could see tiny snowflakes slowly falling. Anzu always liked snow, but right now she wished it would be summer! She didn't realize she had stopped until she began to move again. It was time she got home. It wasn't save at night, even without vampires, there were always some perverted idiots! At that moment she heard footsteps behind her. The stopped when she stopped and became faster when she did…

'_Oh no!'_, she mentally screamed_. 'Could that be a vampire? Wait, Anzu, a vampire would have already attacked you. Plus, vampires fly, they don't walk! But, who is it then?!'_

Anzu began running, but didn't get very far. A hand grabbed her arm, while another sneaked around her waist. Anzu tried to scream, but soon enough the attacker covered her mouth and pulled her in a dark corner.

"Hey, sweetheart!", he whispered huskily and she could almost see his wicked smile. "Why are you fighting?! You know, you want it!"

'_NO!'_, Anzu thought. She most certainly didn't want 'it', but could do nothing as her aggressor stripped her of her jacket. She still wore her dancer costume, which was very low cut and exposed much of her long legs. The man licked her cheek, while massaging one of her breasts roughly and then grasped between her tighs. Anzu felt the tears forming in her eyes, but resisted the urge to cry. She wouldn't let him have that satisfaction.  
She was going to fight!

Anzu hit him with her elbow right in the stomach. She heard him groan in pain, but didn't wait to see how much damage she had made. The young dancer ran as fast as she could. Of course her aggressor was faster and grabbed her again, but this time he loosened his grip almost immediately. Confused, Anzu turned around. Why did he let go of her? He had had her? As she turned she could see the mans shocked look as he realized something hit him right in his neck and was now beginning to drain his blood. Anzu gasped. Behind her aggressor there was another man with tri-coloured hair and the most amazing purple eyes she had ever seen. That man had gripped her aggressor and bit him in his neck. Anzu could see the man bleed and when the vampire let go of him, the man just fell to the ground:

DEAD!

The vampire gave him one last, disgusted look, as if the man's blood had been to bitter for his taste, and then turned his full attention on Anzu. The young woman wanted to run, sure, she would be his next victim but something held her in her place. Maybe it was that gaze, he gave her, through those amazing eyes.  
Whatever it was, it made her hold still when he started to walk up to her. It made her shiver with anticipation and think:

'If I'm going to die now, I'll die a happy person…' 

A/N: Well, what do you think? Please R&R!


	2. Help the helpless

Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 1: Help the helpless

'_If I had to die now, I would die a happy person.'_

The vampire approached her slowly. He wasn't in a rush and didn't want to make her flee, because he had no desire to go after her. His amethyst eyes fixed hers and for a moment he frowned. Something about her eyes was strange. They were as blue and clear as the river Nile, when the sun burned down on it's waters. And he must knew- for he had often sneaked out of the palace, when he was younger and never once tired. Of course he had been careful to avoid the rays of the egyptian sun, since they would have killed him easily. But on one of those days he had seen a servant out in the gardens. A young maiden with long black hair, which held a pink flower in it, her white skin flawless and she had those same cerulean eyes, he was now lost in.

Anzu wasn't sure what kept her in place, but something told her he wasn't going to hurt her. That of course didn't mean that her rational side was of the same opinion… In fact, it was screaming in her head, telling her to run for her life and filling her imagination with worst-case-scenarios of what this vampire was going to do to her. Was he going to rape and kill her just like that man had tried to? But why help her then?! Or was she just his dinner and he didn't want anyone to soil his meal? Anzu shivered at the pictures floating in her mind, but still couldn't move even an inch.

"What's your name?", the man asked, never once taking his eyes from hers.

Anzu didn't respond. He was so near, she could see the shadows in his eyes, telling her stories about what he had seen through the centuries. From this short distance his purple gaze was even more frightening, yet fascinating at the same time. He couldn't stop to look at him, she was a prisoner in those amethyst pools.

Meanwhile the vampire raised an eyebrow in amusement. He knew how hypnotizing his gaze could be for a mere mortal. Even the hunters sometimes fell in that trap, but didn't notice until it was already too late. Only that right now it was kind of a problem. He needed her to cooperate with him and to do so she needed to be able to think. Though he reluctantly tore his eyes from hers and clapped once. The girl suddenly woke up to reality and her dreamy expression was gone immediately. Strangely enough there seemed to be almost no fear in her eyes. The man was confused for a moment, but shrugged it off quickly.

"What's your name?", he repeated.

"A-Anzu."

"Anzu…So, were do you live, Anzu?", the vampire continued.

Anzu frowned for a moment. Why was he asking that? If he really wanted to feed upon her, why wouldn't he just do it? Why would he try to have a conversation with his food? Or was that just some sick game: Know your snack!

The vampire however stopped her thoughts, when he put his right hand on her shoulder and asked his question again, a reassuring smile on his lips. This time Anzu couldn't resist to answer:

"My appartment is in the eastern district, Sunrise Avenue 15."

"What floor?"

"Twelve, but why are you asking me all this?"

He didn't answer, instead moved his hand from her shoulder to the small of her back and put the other one under her knees to lift her up in his arms. Only seconds later they were above the city. It was way past midnight, so everything was quiet and most of the lights were off, but Domino city was still a wonderful view. As they flew the vampire noticed that she was clutching to him, because of the height, but the fear shown in her eyes had another reason. It was, because she didn't know were he would bring her and what he would do with her, when they arrived. Of course the man knew all those stories about what vampires did to innocent young woman they found in the streets at night and he was disgustet. Most of those prejudices were false. Of course there were always those of them, who were cruel and heartless, but that didn't mean all of them were like that, did it?! The vampire was suddenly angry at the girl for believing all that bullshit people told her about his kind, even so of course it wasn't her fault, she was raised with it. Still…

'_Humans just fool themselves into believing that vampires are just heartless monsters, so they don't have to concentrate on what their own people do to one another!'_, he thought angrily.

Then they arrived and he put the girl down on her balcony. The vampire turned to leave, but noticed suddenly that she wasn't even trying to get inside. He looked at the girl curiously, who flushed under his gaze.

"I don't have the keys to the balcony door… They are inside my appartment on the table!", she barely managed.

The vampire chuckled at this and then just walked right through the door, which was made of glass. He vanished into the darkness, leaving behind a very confused Anzu. Thirty seconds later he opened the door for her to enter, grabbed her hand, which he realized was soft to his touch, and put the keys right in it. Anzu entered her appartment and followed him with her eyes, when he flew away, before she went to bed exhausted.

Half an hour later the vampire with the tri-coloured hair arrived at an old mansion, seemingly empty. He had already been expected by his fellows. They were all over him until his best friend sent them away.

"You have been away for a long time now, Yami…", his friend greeted him smiling.

"I know. How long has it been, Joey? Almost three centuries?", Yami replied.

The blond vampire grinned.

"We were expecting you sooner. What took you so long?"

"I just had a little run-in with a human criminal." At that Yami spat to the ground, remembering the disgusting taste of dirt not only on the man's skin, but also in his blood. He now wished, he would just had killed the man by breaking every bone in his body, but since he hadn't fed in the days before, he had kind of needed the blood- no matter how sickening it had been! After that Yami and Joey talked about buisness until the morning sun came over the horizon and they parted to their chambers for a good day's rest. Yami entered his chambers and found a visitor, fast asleep in his bed. He gently shook her and she suddenly awaked jumping from his bed, blushing furiously.

"How are you, Mana?", Yami asked his childhood friend.

"I'm fine, my pharaoh. How was your time in the old country, my lord?"

"I'm satisfied. But please call me by my name. I mean we have been friends forever and you have never called me "my lord" or "pharaoh" ever before. Has Mahad something to do with this change in your behavior?"

"He just pointed out the truth, my pharaoh. We are no longer children and you are no longer our prince, but our supreme leader and it's only appropiate to…"

"Stop that, Mana. You're not Mahad. Call me by my name, that's an order!", he interrupted almost laughing at her politness. "The only thing missing would be that you make a curtsey now. Stop acting like that, you creep me out!"

Suddenly a smile broke through her face, indicating that she played him. Yami grunted. No matter how much he liked Mana, he really hated it, when she played a game like that with him. Because it really scared him everytime.

'_I have to talk to Mahad about this habit of her's…", _he thought annoyed.

"Are you very tired, At… I mean Yami?", she just managed to change direction. He had forbidden everyone to call him by his real name for five thousand years now and he punished it hard, when someone did it nonetheless.

"Not really!", he answered after a little while. "Care to tell me, what was going one while I have been in the old country?"

"Nope, if you tell me how it was- and don't forget the details!", she ordered.

Yami laughed. She was one of very few vampires, who could dare to order him something, even though only in a joking manner of course. If someone else would do it, he would have his heart in less then five seconds. That vampire wouldn't even have the time to apologize let alone to beg for his live. The old friends passed the day by talking about the last centuries and what was new about the hunters. Mana told him about Seto, the leader of the hunter's clan and that this Seto wanted his head, but Yami shrugged it off. No matter how powerful that boy was, he could never kill him, that he knew for sure. It was already late afternoon, when a servant knocked at the door and told him Joey wanted to see him. Curiously Yami went with Mana by his side to the great hall. Joey and some other fellows were already expecting him and bowed deeply, when Yami came along. The vampire leader recognized only a few of them: There was Duke, a vampire, who was originally from Syria, and Serenity, Joeys sister, and of course Tristan, who indeed wasn't a vampire, but a werewolf… Still, he was a creature of the shadows and his trusted friend. Yami didn't know the others, but it didn't bother him, his full attention was on Joey, who was approching him now.

"Seto Kaiba, the hunter's leader is waiting for you at the graveyard. He and his fellows want to kill you, they challenged you a few moments ago…", Joey reportet.

Yami chuckled. This boy didn't know what he was risking.

"Very well. I shall accept the challenge. Wait here for me, I'll be right back."

He was about to go, but Joey hold him back. Yami raised an eyebrow.

"Don't underestimate him, my friend. He almost killed your brother a month ago."

"So that's why I he wasn't there, when I came…", Yami mused. "But that's only another point, why I have to go."

"I will not say: "Don't go!" But I will ask you to wait until the sun has set…", Joey told him politely. "Then we can accompany you. If you want to go now, you'll have to go alone. We can't stand the sun. You're the only one of us, who has made up some sort of resistance against it's rays."

"I could go with you!", Tristan suddenly spoke up. "As a werewolf I can not be harmed by the sun and I've learned to transform without the full moon."

"Thank you, my friend, but I shall go alone. I will not put anyone in danger, because of my personal issues. Wait here for me. I shall return."

And with that, he stepped out into the sun. It's rays prickled on his skin, but nothing else happened. It was kind of strange, but maybe he had learned to resist it's burning power by sneaking around the palace in the afternoon all those centuries ago. At least that was his theory on the matter. Actually Yami kind of liked the sun with it's warmth. He had managed to get out of his chambers at day in the past threehundred years without the werewolf guards to see him. He had walked in the shadows mostly, but soon enough he discovered that he was resistent to the sun's weaker rays after midday. The vampire leader slowly moved to the graveyard on the other side of the mansion, were he saw a dozen human men cloaked in black already waiting for him. They turned around, when they heard him approach, and some of them gasped. They might have expected someone who seemed more of a chalenge. Yami indeed didn't look very dangerous with his small frame, his not so tall figure and the gentle smile he was showing, but one of the hunters- a brown haired man with cold blue eyes- wasn't fooled by the vampire leaders appereance.

'_So you must be Seto Kaiba!"_, Yami thought and his smile widened. There was another man, very young and afraid too. He looked similar to Seto even if his hair was black. _'Seems like our favorite hunter has family.'_

Yami smirked.

"You're the vampire leader?", Seto asked, earning a charming smile from Yami, but no answer. "I thought you would be a little taller." His comrades laughed and Yami still smiled.

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you!", he spoke for the first time.

"Do not try to fool me, vampire!", Seto spat out.

"Whatever!", Yami answered suddenly annoyed. "I'm kind of busy, since I returned just this night after three centuries of being away, so just let us get this over with. You wish to live, then run away now. You stay, you die! Simple, isn't it?!"

"You're in no positions to demand anything, bloodsucker (does this word exist? If not, I invented it right now)!", another hunter said. "We are twelve and you are alone."

"That's your decision?", Yami asked, seemingly incredulous. He had expected them to be not only stubborn but also stupid. With one to a human eye invisible motion, he was behind the man and pulled his head around. "Now remain eleven."

Seto and his men pulled out guns and fired at him. Yami didn't even move, he had no need of shelter, so he just stayed where he was.

"Finished?", he asked unharmed when the shots stopped.

"What?", Seto managed before Yami grabbed him by his throat and pushed him of the ground with one hand. Then he unfolded his wings and flew some meters over the others hunters heads.

"Did you really think, that would kill me, you worthless human?!", Yami wanted to know amused.Instead of answering he ordered his men to shoot again.

"What are you waiting for, you morrons?! Shoot him!", the brown-haired man managed to spat out between coughs. They obeyed of course and this time Yami flinched. A bullet strocked one of his sensitive wings and now it burned badly. When the next one hit him he let go of Seto and flew away hastily, not really caring about the direction.

"Seems like I found your weakness, oh great vampire leader!", Seto smirked. That shot wouldn't kill the vampire, nor would any other one. But it was at least something and he hadn't lost just as many man as he thought he would during their first 'meeting'.

When Anzu woke up it was already past midday. She had been exhausted after yesterdays events and had just slept in. First thing she called her boss and told him she had catched a cold and couldn't come to the show today. Since Pegasus was an understanding person he didn't ask questions even so he figured something was wrong- and it certainly wasn't a cold, what stopped her from coming. He gave her the day off nonetheless and he could have kissed him for that, but instead said just "thank you" and apologized at least a thousand times before she finally hung up. With the day- or what was left of it- off, she decided to clean up her appartment. She hadn't done it since she broke up with Seto, not wanting to realize that she was alone again…After she was finished some hours later, suddenly something crashed on her balcony. A groan was heard then and she nervously walked to the glass door and her heart stopped! There was that vampire again!

_But how? It's only afternoon. The sun still shines, even though it is winter…"_, she tought, then noticed the blood spreading from some wound in his black bat-like wings on her balcony. Without a moment of hesitation she opened the door and helped him inside her appartment and into the bathroom. Blood still dripping on her floor...

"_I will have to clean up again later…"_

A/N: Cliffhanger- or at least I hope so! Please R&R!


	3. To pass the night

Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 2: To pass the night

There was no fear while she provided for him, even so she didn't once dare to look him in the eye. Anzu had asked him to spread his injured wing, since then, they had made no conversation at all.Anzu would have been to concentrate on being careful anyway. She had no idea how tough his wing was, but since it seemed so delicate, she had decided not to take any chances on that matter. She didn't think about what the vampire might do to her, if she hurt him, because she knew, she would stop providing for him immediately out of fear, but she couldn't do that. He came to her for help, consciously or not- how could she turn him down and look at herself ever again?!

Yami eyed the girl curiously. She had worked quietly and patiently since he arrived, without hesitation, even so he knew, she must be afraid of him. Her caring made him expirience a new emotion, one he had never felt about a human before: He was proud! Proud, that she didn't look at their differences, but just saw him as a wounded person, who needed help. Even so, the wound would have healed eventually. He didn't really need any medicine, but he was thankful nonetheless. Still, one thing bothered him- beside feeling sick: Why had he come here in the first place? Why didn't he just fly back to the mansion, it had been nearer. Yami couldn't quite understand, what had posessed him to "visit" Anzu.

"I'm sorry!", she interrupted the silence.

"What for?", he asked surprised. Why was she apologizing? Because she helped him?

"I can not give you, what you need."

His eyes widened at this. How could she know? Still, his answer was cold:

"You have no idea of what I need."

"Blood?!", she half asked, half stated. "Am I right? You need to feed upon something… someone to regain your strength and heal yourself."

How could this girl possibly know that much about his kind?

"I've fed yesterday. That will last for a while." She wasn't quite convinced, he could tell, but she said nothing. Yami however felt the need to reassure her: "I'm not going to bite you… unless…"

She gulped.

"…unless, you want to be biten(sp?)… If that's not the case, you have my word of honor, that I will not harm you in any way."

Anzu smiled. He had saved her, so, she tought, she could trust him. And he promised too. The woman felt, that there was no danger- he was harmless!

"Well, as harmless as a vampire could ever be…" 

"Night has descended." It was a statement, but she knew, what he was saying in between the lines and quickly got up:

"I have a questroom here. You can stay there." At his raised eyebrow, she added. "You cannot just leave the building on your feet and you will not be able to fly at least for a couple of days, so what choice do you have?" She was right and he knew it.

"Fine, lead the way."

At that answer Anzu let go of her breath, she didn't even know, she was holding. Then she wanted to help him up, but it turned out the other way around. He had gotten himself in a standing position and then reached out a hand for her to grab. Anzu hesitated a moment, but out of surprise, not fear. As his hand closed around her's to pull her up, she suddenly felt weak, because the vampire was so strong, even with that injure.

"_I don't even know his name."_

As if he read her mind, he let go of her hand. She was standing anyway, but she missed his warm touch nonetheless. Smiling he bowed his head a little and introduced himself:

"My name is A… Yami and I'm the vampire leader." He frowned. He had been about to tell her his real name, when not even most of his own fellows knew it and those who knew, were wise enough not to tell anyone or call him by that name.

"You're… the vampire leader?", Anzu asked incredulous. That couldn't be. This man was in his early twenties and even if he had remained unchanged by time for the last centuries… he couldn't be the one, Seto talked about all the time, or could he?

"He surely doesn't seem so strong, but thinking about his grip just seconds ago…" 

Yami just smiled and gestured her to lead him. They entered the living room in very different moods. He was amused by her reaction. Yami knew, he did seem harmless to a normals person eye, but a real hunter like Seto- Yami growled only thinking of that bastard- never let his guard down, because of his opponent's appereance. Anzu instead was confused. Seto had always said, that the vampire leader was the most powerful and mysterious creature on earth and that no one had ever managed to kill him. Everyone had died trying, soon followed by his loved ones, for the vampire leader was the most cruel and heartless of all vampires. But now, that she saw him in flesh and blood, she couldn't believe what her ex-boyfriend told her. Yami didn't seem cruel at all. He could have easily killed her after she provided for his wounds, but didn't. He even gave her the promise not to cause her any harm. Maybe Seto was wrong after all, maybe vampires were just as any other living being able to do good as they were able to do bad! Anzu stopped infront of a white door. She opened and revealed the guestroom. There wasn't just a bed in it, but also a wardrobe and a litlle table and a chair. If someone looked out of the window at morning he could see the sunrise, but that was exactly the problem. Yami would sleep all day and even if the early morning sun wouldn't kill him, later on it would become nasty for him. Anzu knew that, grabbed a blanket and moved to cover the window. She had to climb the windowsill to do so, but since she was working a litlle hastily, she slipped and fell… right into Yami's arms. The vampire smirked. He had kind of seen that coming, when he noticed, in what a rush she was. Anzu mumbled a thank you, while her face became as red as a tomato, and tried again. This time he stabilized her until she was done. Every bit a gentleman he helped her get her feet on the floor again.

"That should do it- or at least I hope so."

"It will, I'm sure."

There was an akward silence between them. No one really knew, what to say or do, so they just stood there. Finally she asked, if he didn't have to inform his people, that he was going to be away this night. She suggested he would give them a call.

"A what, please?"

"A phone call!", she answered.

"What is a phone?"

"You've got to be kiddin'!", she groaned. He had to know what a phone is, right?! He couldn't possibly never have seen a phone in his live…

"_I mean, he had already been in this world, when they were invented."_

"Sure I was!", Yami finally dropped the bomb, smirking. "I might have lived the past three hundred years in my egyptian palace and my people might not use all your little machines, but of course we know, what they are and do. We have to keep an eye on mankind, you know!"

Anzu punched him playfully, for tricking her like that.

"Do you know how many have dared to hit me and survived?!", he asked just as playfully.

"No, but I don't think you promised them, not to hurt them, as you promised me…", Anzu answered and was surprised at her voice. It sounded braver, than she felt. If it hadn't been for his amused tone, she would have been scared to death. Again, he seemed to noticed something was wrong and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I gave you my word, Anzu. I will not hurt you."

Deep inside he knew, he wouldn't be able to, even if she tried to kill him. And all, because of those big, blue, trusting eyes, he was sinking in again. He had never once met someone with this colour of the eye- at least not in the last five thousand years. He would never be able to hurt a person with such eyes, because he never wanted **her** to get hurt… Besides, Anzu helped him, him of all people. A vampire. She was supposed to be afraid of him, she was supposed to call the hunters, the moment she saw him lying on her balcony…

But she didn't.

She helped him.

"I better go to bed now! It's late…", she interrupted his thoughts. Of course. He had forgotten, that human beings sleeped at night. "Or do you wish for company?"

"_How sweet."_, he thought. _"She is willing to stay up just for me…Wait, what am I thinking: Sweet… Stop it, Yami, you cannot be thinking that of this human girl. Seems like she was right after all- you need to feed on something, you're going nuts!"_

"Something troubles you?", Anzu asked concerned.

Yami shook his head and told her to get some rest. These last days surely weren't easy on her and she needed sleep. He would find something to do. So she left him, feeling as if she regretted his decision, but said nothing. Why was she feeling like that? Why did she wish, he would ask her to stay? And why was she moving so slowly, as if to give him the chance to call her back?

Of course, he didn't.

Anzu went to bed, but couldn't fall asleep. She turned in her bed, tried to humm herself to sleep and even counted imaginary sheeps hopping over her. It wasn't doing her any good, she got just bored, not tired. Anzu groaned as a storm came to all of her problems. She hated storms, especially when lightnings struck, because then thunder would follow soon after:

"Chrrrrm!", ther it was (sorry, but I really don't know, how I would put the sound of thunder in a word or anything like that).

Anzu sat up straight in her bed. She groaned again. Now she wasn't going to find any sleep, if she didn't calm her racing heartbeat. Silently she stood up and moved to the bathroom. There she washed her face with cold water. Strange as it was, it calmed her every time. The woman then sat on the brink of the bathtub, her head rested in her hands. As the noises became louder she moved her hands to rest over her ears. She didn't want to hear that sound. It was on such a night, she … Suddenly a blow of air caught her attention. She sat up straight and realized, she wasn't alone in her bathroom anymore. The vampire leader was just standing right in front of the door.

"You're afraid of thunder!", he stated calmly.

She didn't respond.

"How did you get in. I locked the door…?!", she asked instead.

"I can walk right through doors, remember?!", he answered amused. Her eyes widened a moment, remembering how she got into her appartment the night before.

"Oh…yeah." Then suddenly she was mad at him. "That was…that was…rude! I could have been naked… and you just…"

"The shower wasn't running, so, unless you like it to be standing nude in your bathroom, there was not a chance, you wouldn't have been fully clothed…", he said and to her it sounded as if he was a little disappointed of that. Anzu blushed deeply, not only, because of him suggesting such things, but also because she only got madder at his response.

"I could have taken a bath."

"I would have heard the water running before- my senses are quite…sharp."

"I'm afraid, yes. So what?", she decided to change the subject.

"I'm here to offer you help."

With that he reached out for her and brought her up against him. Her blush was now entirely of a timid nature. Yami quickly pulled her into his arms and carried her to the questroom, since he would still need protection from the sun's rays. He laid her down gently and climbed in bed beside her, puttin an arm around her. Anzu's blush was still deepening, if that was even possible, but she didn't complain. She noticed, that she felt very safe with him so near to her. She suddenly wasn't frightened anymore, but snuggled against him for warmth and protection, while he was surprised how good it felt to him holding her this close. He hadn't been intimate, if you could call this "intimate", with a woman in the last five millenia, not since he met **her**. The brunette had already closed her eyes and soon she was sound asleep while he watched her cute face and fragile body. He couldn't see her eyes, but was attracted to them all the same. He knew himself. He would look at this 'angel of mercy' all night and when he would finally fall asleep in the morning, his dreams would be occupied by her…

A/N: Okay, that's it for now!

I'm sorry, if I'm going only the smallest steps in their relationship, but I think it's more realistic like this, because it takes a little time to build up relationships. If you think, I should go a little faster, then just tell me and I'll try, I promise.

Please R&R!


	4. Beware of the girls!

Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 3: Beware of the girls!

When Anzu first woke up, there was only warmth around her and it made her feel at ease, like she was protected by an angel of heaven. Then she opened her eyes: And zhey went wide in shock! If an angel was making her feel this way, than it was an angel of hell. There she was, in the arms of the vampire leader… Since it was already morning, he fell asleep some time ago, but he was still holding her tightly to his muscular chest. And he was smiling at her in his sleep, as if he had pleasant dreams. Anzu got beet-red the same instant, then the regret hit her. She knew she shouldn't be here in bed with him- even if fully clothed as she was. She knew, she should drove herself out of his embrace and flee off the room, but she couldn't. It all felt too good, too right, so she just closed her eyes again and returned to the land of dreams for a little more peace… She knew, she was well protected.

Eventually Anzu got up at midday, because she still had to do some things for the evening. At first, the woman thought of cancelling her little sleep-over, but then again:

"Why should I ruin my fun?!"

So the dancer left a note, in case Yami would wake up in the afternoon and she wouldn't be back by then, and locked her apartment. Anzu made her way out of the building and then directed her steps to the close by supermarket. The place was huge. When she came the first time, she almost got lost in here and the map wasn't exactly helping, since she had no sense of direction at all and this supermaket was like a maze… Normally she would make a little tour and look everything over. Anzu loved to try new things in her kitchen and she wasn't even bad at it- at least you could eat her experiments, which you couldn't say about the things Ishizu did sometimes!

But this time, the young woman came here only for the part of the supermarket, where sweets and potato chips were selled.

"Paprika, sweet-and-sour, mexican style…", she read loudly. "I didn't know, there were so many different tastes od crisps. Banana? Incredible! Who would eat such things?!"

"There always are some maniacs!", answered a cold voice from behind her.

Anzu's head shot up and she turned around almost immediately. Yes, there he was. In a white coat and black sleeve-shirt and black pants. The dancer couldn't see it, because it was hidden by his coat, but she knew, that he had a gun attached to his belt. When she looked up at the boy's face, there were no emotions of any sort in his dark blue eyes. Her's instead were practicly sparking with them: Hurt, anger, sadness…fear.

"What are you doing here, Seto?!", she snapped, as she pulled herself out of the enchantment his eyescould cast on her.

"I do not need to justify myself to you anymore…"

"Like you did, when we were together…", Anzu spat ou, loud enough for their nearest neighbors to here it and turn to them.

"…But if you have to know it: This store is the biggest one in the radius of many miles. My men and I beat the vampire leader in a battle and they thought, we should celebrate that properly, so…", he continued as if she hadn't spoken.

Anzu had hated that, while they were together.

He just ignored her some times.

"Why do I fool myself?! He ignored me almost everytime I asked him a question or made a comment on something."

"Oh come on, Seto!", she hissed. "Even if you faced him, it was the **first** time, no one could ever kill him, so he lived for the past millenia, legend tells he has learned magic from a powerful sourceress in ancient times… No way you killed him during your first **meeting**?!!"

Seto scowled at that. He never took it well, when someone attacked his pride. When they were a couple, Anzu never did that, because she respected his feelings. But that was over now and she had no pricks of conscience in beating up his ego!

"_And why should I?"_, she told herself stubbornly. _"He had no respect for my feelings either, he didn't even think about how I might feel, as he…"_

The girl didn't continue her thought. It was all too painful for her. She hated to admit it, but she wasn't over him yet, so she fighted back the tears. Only by looking at him, she felt weak and struggled to hold herself up. On the exterior however she gave no sign, besides some shivers, which went up and down her spine. Seto of course noticed and smirked.

"_That's it!"_, Anzu thought mad like never before in her lifetime, slapped him and just walked past him, going over to the ice-cream. Seto stood there for a few seconds more, then hurridly came up to her and grabbed her wrist.

"How dare you?!", he snapped, pure hatred dripping from his lips with every breath. His grip tightened as she tried to free herself. Anzu knew, he wouldn't let go, and whimpered slightly in pain, but still gave no answer. Not even, after he repeated his question several times, always grabbing her harder and even attempting to hit her, when he couldn't get one word out of her. Anzu closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for the pain on her cheek- which never came!

"What the hell do you think you're doing there, Kaiba?!", came instead an angry female voice from behind Anzu.

The girl turned around and released her breath as she saw Mai standing there upright and with her hands pressed against her hips. Her fair face was a mask of contempt and her purple eyes were flashing with anger. Anzu knew her since the time at Pegasus' academy for dancing and they had become friends, but the brown-haired woman had never seen her this mad before. Seto reluctantly let go of Anzu. Both women could tell, that he was still in the mood to beat someone up, but he would have to go for some vampires or other shadow creatures, because after Mai's outburst everyone near them were looking at the three of them. Even some staff-members of the supermarket.

"Goodbye, Seto…", Mai said dismissingly as she and Anzu turned around to leave.

"Thank you so much, Mai!", Anzu exclaimed, when they were outside.

"Well, who would we do our sleep-over with, if you were hurt and couldn't participate- in your own apartment too."

Anzu smiled akwardly.

"Yeah, about that… ehm…", she began. "I…her have… a guest. Would that be a problem?"

"A guest?", Mai asked back. "A man?"

"Y-yes."

"Young, strong, smart, handsome?"

"Ehm…I suppose."

"Then, honey, where would be the problem?! We are four beautiful, young girls and all single, remember?", Mai laughed.

Anzu couldn't quite appreciate that decision. She had hoped, Mai would say, that they wanted to make a girl's night with no men, who could trouble them, and couldn't need her "guest" during the party. She had hoped, Mai would have called the girls and told them to find another place or something like that. But of course, Mai didn't say anything like that. Instead she welcomed the guest into their sleep-over. Now how the hell would Anzu explain that to Yami- or even to her friends?! She had the vampire leader in her apartment for heaven's sake!

"_Oh my gosh! I completely forgot about him." _A quick look on her watch told her it was already afternoon and he might be awake by now.

"Ehrm… Mai, I got to go… Se you later, then!", she yeeled, as she was already running home.

"Sure. And have fun!", Mai winked.

(Scene change)

"I'm home!", she told loudly, when she closed the door behind her. As she turned around, Anzu saw him standing right infront of her and gasped. "Man, you gave me a shock. Don't do this!"

"Not as great a shock as I had, when I figured out, you were working for them all the time."

"What are you talking about?", Anzu asked curiously and a little hurt, because of his cold attitude towards her. When she saw his eyes showing nothing but disgust for her, she backed away from him, but he gave her no chance. Yami grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. Despite of his gentleness last night, now he was rough. Anzu winced, but he only hold her harder. She didn't try to struggle against his hold, she knew, she couldn't break it. After all, she was just a human and he was probably the most powerful creature on earth. However she didn't understand his motives! Why was he doing all this to her? Then she noticed his other hand holding a photo. Anzu took a closer look and gasped again. On the photo she was in Seto's arms, it wasn't older than a month!

"Now tell me!", he commanded, bringing her back to reality. "Where you spying for him? Were you supposed to trick me into telling all my secrets to you for him to know, maybe even the way to kill me?!"

"No, ple-please. It's not like it seems… it's quite different…", she began, but he didn't let her finish her sentence.

"How do you contact him? What have you told him?", Yami hissed, his nails now dugging through the shirt and into her skin, draining blood.

"I didn't. I wasn't spying for him… I…"

"You're obviously his fiancé or girlfriend or however you may call it these days, so don't try to lie at me or I'll make you wish, you would have never been born."

"Please let me explain!", Anzu begged, tears forming in her eyes and streaming down her face.

Yami suddenly backed away a little, though he didn't loosen his grip of her arm. But her tears calmed his angry mood. Her eyes were darker now, they had some grey in them, as if the azure sky was hidden by darkest clouds. He couldn't take that sight of her. To him her eyes should always be bright and sparkling with joy, never hold fear of anything- especially not of him…

Anzu took his silence as a sign to continue:

"I didn't want you to find out this way. Yes, Seto Kaiba and I were a couple. Were. But we broke up a few time ago, because he… Oh, well, it doesn't matter… I didn't put away that photo, because I wanted to remind me of the good times we had, when he hadn't yet distanced himself from me. When we still really were an item!…

I know, I should have told you sooner. I was going to, but…last night- with all the things, which happened- I just forgot about it and… this morning… when I woke up, you were already sound asleep… You looked so peaceful then- like an angel- and I didn't want to wake you up.

"But I NEVER worked for him, I swear it. Not even, when we were together. I never liked his "job", because he was killing people. I mean, of course, you kill humans, but that doesn't make you a monster, a beast without the right to live… I mean, you do it just for food, like we ourselves kill animals to…"

She had become hysterical at the last part and was talking so fast, even Yami with his sharp senses, could hardly follow her, but from what he understood, he was marveleed. How could a human girl think like that about the creatures of darkness like him, about the living dead?! She almost sounded like…

Yami wasn't able to finish his thoughts though, because Anzu suddenly winced again. He looked down at her arm, he had been holding just seconds ago. Blood was dripping from the wound, **he** had caused. The vampire was ashamed of himself immediately. He had sworn to Anzu, not to hurt her, yet he had lost his temper, when he most needed it. And to tell the least, he didn't even know, why he had been angry! When he found the photograph, he was shocked at first, then disappointed, then…jealous?… Wait! Disappointed, jealous, why would he be that? He didn't like her that way, did he?  
He was interrupted again however, when he found himself slowly, softly licking away the blood of Anzu's arm and over the wound, while he felt her shiver out of pleasure, because of his touch. However, what really made him curious, was, that he didn't stop there. Instead he began to plant soft, little butterfly-kisses along ger arm and up her shoulder. Yami could feel the girl tremble. She hadn't expected this, but neither had he. Strangely enough, he liked it a lot and she seemed to enjoy herself too, by the little moans she gave now, that Yami was sipping at her neck and chin. When he looked up, their eyes locked and none of them would have been able to tear their gaze away, if it hadn't been for the doorbell ringing that exact moment.

Yami and Anzu jumped.

While Anzu responded with a deep blush on her beautiful face, Yami tried to figure out, what his body had tried to do, while his brain wasn't "looking".

"_Was I trying to… seduce her?"_, he asked himself and figured, he did kind of lik that idea. _"Do I like her… love her maybe… No, no, don't be a fool, Yami! You cannot love her, you have already given your heart away…"_

"_But what was that all about then?"_, a tiny little voice in his head asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I've just spent too much time alone."

"Yeah, and I'm the Dalai Lama(just borrowed that name, don't own)"

"I don't like her that way, I mean… she is smart and gorgeous and nice…and…" 

"…_and she has that unic pair of blue eyes!"_, the other voice said.

"So what?!" 

"_Don't you get it? Come on, you have looked out for **her** for centuries! Why can't you just accept, that you might have just fallen on her balcony last night?"_

Yami couldn't come up with an answer for that, because the same moment, three very different human girls were all over him and talking all together, asking him questions about his life, his job and… his phonenumber?

"Okay, you girls, relax, you're going to scare him!",Anzu told them, so they backed off, before he could bite anyone. "Girls, this is Yami. He is a friend of Ishizu and she asked me, if I could take him in, until he found something for himself." Turning to him after that little lie, she introduced her friends to him as Mai Valentine, Vivian Wong and Rebecca Hawpkins and finally told him the reason, they were at her appartment: "We've a sleep-over planned for tonight. I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you, when I first came home, but we had to discuss other things, right? So, I… I mean, we hope you'll participate and have some fun with us…"

**A/N:** Poor Yami! Trapped with four girls and an ahkward situationIn the next three weeks updating will not be possible, because I'm gone- first with my school then with my family. And, where I'm going, there will be no internet. Gomen nasai!


	5. Old legends die hard

Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 4: Old legends die hard

Three hours had past, since the girl's party… no sleepover began. Three hours of chick films, rumors exchanging and girly talk- and Yami in the middle of it all. The vampire leader was bored to no end and if he wouldn't have been immortal, he would have already died. At first the girls asked him questions, many qustions and he made up a cover story. He easily gave information about that fake past to them and silently shook his head about how simple it was to trick them. They hadn't even noticed his fangs- the only thing that indicated him as a vampire even, when he was in human form. And he wasn't even trying to cover them, since one part of him wanted them to know, so they would run away and leave him alone.

"_Alone with Anzu!"_, his mind corrected him and he suddenly felt his skin prickle.

And that was, where he decided to be more careful. It surely wouldn't be fun for her, ifher girlfriends ran away screaming, there was a vampire in her apartment. And with Seto Kaiba as her ex-boyfriend… Yami really didn't want her to go through all that trouble- and in Seto's case, it would be good to add "again".

"So, you said, you're egyptian, right, Yugi?", Mai suddenly asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yes."

"Then you are from where the vampires originally come?"

"Yes."

"Do they still live there?"

"Some of them."

"And your people doesn't… well, try to get rid of them?", Vivian Wong wanted to know.

"We lived in some sort of peace with them for the last five thousand years- and a war would be bloody and breaking many peoples heart! Besides, the creatures of night are far more powerful there, than here, even being fewer in numbers. And they leave the people alone, most of the time."

"Yes, but what about their laws and all. I mean, only to think of being ruled by an immortal, vampire king… I get goose bumps (is that expression right?)."

Yami just smiled.

"Oh, besides!"; Mai said, suddenly very serious. "I was at the market today and overheard a conversation between Anzu and that jerk- Seto. Seems like the hunters are having a party today, because they won a confrontation with the vampire leader…"

Yami snorted.

Anzu gave him a warning look, but he ignored it.

"What is it, Yugi?", Rebecca asked.

"I saw the whole fight and those kids, who call themselves hunters did most certainly not **win **the fight, because they only win, if they kill him and he is alive. Seto and his men are a shame to their guild."

"But they are the best hunters…", Vivian started, before Yami interrupted:

"Today. But if you look back only a millenia, you'll see that the most powerful hunters are already buried. Wizards of such great powers, that the vampires had to catch their souls to make sure they would never be reborn."

"So, that's why there are no witches and wizards anymore."

"No. The vampire leader freed them, because of the balance. But even if they are reborn, they do not remember their past lives and know nothing about the magic within them. They need a symbol or something else, that reminds them of their history, so they discover their powers and start to train them again. And those, who remember, withdraw themselves to the city in the sea's mountains- Atlantis. Whereever that may be. Not even the vampire leader knows."

"But why would they do that?", Anzu asked.

"They are waiting for the most powerful of them to rule them again. Or at least that is, what most believe."

"Wow!", the girls said in union. Then Mai eyed him suspiciously.

"How do you know that much?", she asked. "Are you too a vampire hunter?"

"No. I'm more of a…"

He became silent for a minute, a minute full of tension, especially for Anzu, who knew his secret.

Let's say, vampires are my expertise!", Yami laughed.

"Are you a fan?", Rebecca asked incredulously. "Because otherwise, I don't understand, why they interest you so much."

"They do, because I like history. I like to **know**. I'm nosy and curious and I often got myself in trouble because of that. But in the end, it always turned out good- well, almost always!", the vampire leader said.

"Wait. But then you must know of that myth. About the vampire leader and that sourceress?", Vivian asked.

Yami didn't respond. He had shut his eyes so hard, it had to hurt him, but that went unnoticed, except for Anzu, who was right beside him. She immediately got the message: He didn't like to talk about it and needed a diversion. Hastily Anzu jumped and screamed something about the ice-cream. As if she did a spell all the other girls jumped up and followed her into the kitchen, while Yami excused himself from the par… sleepover, saying he had a was very tired and going to bed. Everyone wished him good sleep, even Anzu, if only to cover him, and then the four young women got back to their girly talk…

(Scene change)

Far later that night, Anzu gently knocked on Yami's door and waited. He didn't respond, but she entered the room nonetheless. It wasn't dark, as she had expected it to be. Three candles on the desk brought some light into the room. Yami was standing infront of the desk and staring into the flame. He didn't move as she approached him, though he had noticed her as soon as she came in.

"Are you alright?", Anzu timidly asked.

"She died because of me!", was his only response.

Anzu immediately knew, what he was talking about. She, too, knew that old legend about the vampire leader falling in love with a sorceress, who later on teached him great magic spells and disappeared from history nowhere to be seen again. Though the girl had never heard, that the witch died.

"I met her in the palace's garden, when I was younger and sneaking out in the afternoon again. Of course I stayed out of the direct sunlight, but still, it was very dangerous and my family and guards would never have allowed it. So I did it secretly. 

However I suddenly became attraced by a melodic voice singin nearby. I followed the voice and found a girl of my age, dancing near a fountain. She didn't notice me at first, because she was into it so much. On the other side I was totally captive of her. Her beautiful voice and rhytmic movements- she was marvellous. I approached her nervously, fearing she might run away as soon as she noticed my fangs, but she didn't. When she saw me, she smiled and her cerulean eyes lit up. She was radiating such a warmth, that I was drawn to her from the first moment. 

We soon became friends and she often danced for me, allowed me to see her practicing, which she allowed no one else. But she forbid me to ever sneak out again, until the sunlight wasn't completely gone. She was worried, I might get hurt one day by a mistake or anything, while watching her. 

Years passed, but I remained a prisoner of her eyes. They had a light in them, when she looked at me, that she held for no other person. She always smiled that special smile, which never stopped to marvel me. At first we were friends and then… something more. She would be a servant in the palace during the day, but my queen at night. We often sneaked out of the palace after dawn and went for a walk or to have a bath in the nearby oasis. And she trusted me with her greatest secrets and magic skills. Everything secretly of course.

But rumors spread soon. My father began to notice, how drawn I was to her, how addicted, how the look in my eyes would change, when she came by… and he would be enraged. His son in love with a mere human! Even as we had peace with them, it was a scandal, that he wouldn't tolerate! He sent his guards out to capture and bring her before him. I was put in chains, so I couldn't do anything, when he… I had to watch her die, watch her eyes loose that light, I always loved so much. Her clear eyes had the colour of the river nile, as long as she lived. But as she faded away, they became dark and grey like clouds on a stormy winter's night…", Yami ended in a whisper.

Anzu was shocked to say the least.

"But that was not the end!", Yami suddenly spoke full of anger. "As soon as I saw that last glimpse of live fade from her, I broke the chains, that hold me, and ran to hold her in my arms one more time, before she would pass away into afterlife, until she would be reborn. And after our last kiss, I laid her down softly, because she seemed even more fragile in death, than she already did in live. Then I stood up and killed her executioner and then… My father came next."

"You killed your own father?", Anzu gasped. She couldn't imagine just how much Yami must have loved that woman…

"Yes, I did. From that moment on, I went in search for her. I waited for five millenia. Even most of my people would try to force me into chose a wife, I waited, because she is the only one I want and need- the only one I love! I long to see her again, if only for a moment, I want to sink into those blue eyes… Those eyes, so much like yours…"

Anzu didn't know, what to say, but she suddenly felt the urge to…

A/N: "To do what?!", you might ask.  
You'll see in the next chapter!


	6. A denied offer

Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 5: A denied offer

"Those eyes, so much like yours…"

Anzu didn't know, what to say, but she suddenly felt the urge to…

"_Yeah? To do what?"_, Anzu suddenly thought. _"To embrace him? To hold him tight? To caress him and kiss away the pain?"_

The young woman was disgusted by herself. Not because she was human and he was a vampire, no, she was above all that. But about what he had told her! Yami was still in love with that sorceress from the ancient egypt… and here she was thinking of kissing him?!? No, she wasn't going to step between those two. They've gone through enough already!  
Instead of doing, what her troubled heart told her, Anzu just stepped beside him and put a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"She's a lucky woman!", Anzu said, feeling a little uncomfortable to do so, but tried to smile.

Then suddenly a thought struck her: _"Wait! Didn't he say, that I have her eyes?… And a wizard doesn't remember his past life, when he is reborn?! Could I…could I be…her?… No that's impossible! Stupid girl! If I would be her, I would have remembered my past the moment I saw Yami, right?!"_

Anzu felt sad and depressed. Of course her mind told her, it was better like this. He was a vapire after all- society would never accept them! Not in another five thousand years!

"Anzu!", Yami spoke all of sudden. His voice was strange: Quiet and… pleading? "Anzu, I know this sounds crazy, but… You see, I've never met anyone but her, who had those eyes… until I met you! First, I thought of it as a coincidence, but after getting to know you… I've come to think, that… that maybe… you could be her."

Anzu was shocked. She couldn't say or do anything, so he continued, taking her reaction as a sign of nterest.

"I… I would like to test that theory, if you don't mind!", he finally told and there was a slight glimpse of hope in his eyes- and a longing, that neither of them could deny.

"H-how?", Anzu asked, still a little confused- no, greatly confused.

"I would like to show you something, that belonged to her- something magical. If you have her soul, it should respond to it…"

"But why to that "something"- as you call it- and not to you in the first place?!"

"Well, if you feel attracted to me… than it did…", the vampire leader answered mumbling.

"Okay, then… what is it?"

"I don't have it here. It is too precious for me, to… well, it's at home…I'm going to get it for you. I'll be back tomorrow night."

"So, you're leaving?!", Anzu asked, saddened.

"Not for long!", Yami smiled and caressed her cheek, before he pressed his lips lightly against it. "But my people are sure getting nervous by the day and I have some things to… do, before I can come back. It#s only until tomorrow, I promise. And besides, you have your girls here, so it wouldn't be a good idea to… use magic right infront of them, wouldn't it?!"

"_Ooops!"_, Anzu thought. _"I totally forgot about them!"_

As she looked up again to tell him goodbye, he already vanished. Only an open window told her, that Yami was here a moment ago…

(Scene change)

The vampire leader walked through the front gate and then calmly knocked at the door. This night Joey was the guard who opened him. The younger vampire took one second to look confused and then he was all over his friend to see, if he was injured, had been tortured or anything.

Then came the inevitaible:

"Where the heck have you been?! You scared us to death, young man. We were worried sick for the last couple of days! When you wouldn't return, we sent patrols out to find you, when that wouldn't work, we trapped every hunter, we could find, and asked him, where they brought you. They were so scared, they told us, how you got away! Then we searched in a greater area, but still nothing! Hell, you could have given us a call, at least!"

"I'm flattered!", Yami just replied in a monotone voice, hiding the sarcasm, but Joey gave a frustrated growl, nonetheless.

As they went inside, they were greeted by many people, mostly warriors, who were waiting for him, too. Joey brought his king to a little room, but didn't say, why Yami couldn't just get to his chambers. The vampire leader figured it soon, though, because pacing in the room was a younger looking copy of himself. Seemingly nervous, the other vampire paced around, while mumbling something, Yami could not understand. However, he didn't bother to ask, because a great wave of relief washed all over him, as he watched his younger brother Yugi panicking.

"It's good to see you again, brother!", the vampire leader greeted suddenly. The younger one's head shot up and like Joey before, he watched Yami carefully. His big brother wasn't wounded, right? "I'm perfectly fine, Yugi. Thank you for your concern."

On the contrary of what Joey would do- and did- Yugi wasn't going to scowl at him or anything. His younger brother was just too overhelmed by seeing him again and Yami seemed okay, too.

"_Besides…"_, Yugi smiled to himself. _"I'm sure, Joey already did the job for me."_

The two brother's embraced each other for a moment and now it was Yami, who was worried. After what his blond friend told him, his bro had been injured very badly. It nearly killed him…

"It is nothing!", Yugi said, guessing what his brother was thinking. "Seto got a good shot at me, but it missed my heart. We're not all as invulnereabe as a certain brother of mine is!"

"I'm not invulnereable."

"But almost."

"I can't argue about that!", Yami smirked.

"I know!", his brother smiled back. "Are you going to try with Seto, too?"

Yami sighed, knowing what would come next, but still nodded.

"It is not going to work."

"I know, but…

"…but hope dies last, yeah, I know. I listened to you those past five thousand years."

Yami smiled.

"Tell the guardians."

With that, they parted. Yami went back to his chambers, while Yugi would do, what he asked of him, even so the younger one didn't believe, that it would work. As soon as he arrived at his rooms, he took a shower and then went to bed. He really needed a good day's rest… This night would be very strenuous, but if it worked out, then he and Anzu could be together without so many problems( A/N: He wants to believe, that it is her)! But, honestly, not even Yami believed in his succsess…

(Scene change)

It was past midnight, when the hunters finally came. They were in the courtyard of the oldest shrine of the whole city- sacred ground, so they couldn't fight. None of them carried weapons of any kind, but there eyes never left there enemies, standing in the pale moonlight. Seto was there, of course, and so was Yami. They stood face to face now. Yami's calm expression and Seto's arrogant smirk.

"I must say, I was really surprised, when I read your letter, _pharaoh_!", Seto spat out. "Are you already that desperate?!"

The hunters laughed, while the creatures of darkness growled angrily. None of them understood, why they were here. Not even Seto. Yami was the only person, who could see all the reasons.

"Wait in silence…", the vampire leader coldly replied.

"To see what?", Seto hissed.

"Are you really that ignorant of what is to come?!" Yami couldn't believe his ears. Did the hunters really forget about all of this in the last three centuries? It couldn't be, could it?! Of course, three hundred years were many for human kind, but…

However, he would never finish his thoughts, because suddenly moon's light got more and more intense, as it shone on a spot in between the two sides. Slowly you could begin to see two figures appearing in the silver light. A man and a woman. The woman was tall, her eyes blue like the sky in a face of bronze. Her black hair reached her hips. Her foot never reached the ground…The man too had black her, but he tied it into a pony tail, his eyes were green and he wore to earrings. The man stepped on the ground and folded his white wings.

"I'm Duke Devlin, an angel of heaven and a guardian of twilight (don't own the book)!", he introduced himself to the hunters, knowing that the vampire leader remembered him.

"And I'm Ishizu Ishtar, a banshee warrior and a guardian of twilight, too."

"_Anzu would be surprised to know, that her friend is… Focus, Yami!"_

"You want to repeat your offer, pharaoh of egypt, leader of the creatures of darkness?", Ishizu asked him.

"I do."

"Do you request the presence of a creature of light, hunter's leader?", Duke wanted to know from Seto. As the brown-haired man wouldn't respond, Duke explained. "Do you wish to call upon a wizard, Seto Kaiba?"

"No need for."

"As you wish. Repeat your offer, King At…Yami!", Ishizu corrected herself, while Seto's head shot up interested. What was the fairy going to say, before she stopped herself?!

"I wish to offer you armistice, Seto Kaiba, leader of the hunters."

Yami could tell, how surprised Seto was, but he didn't loose his mask of coldness for very long. Soon enough it returned, as Seto denied his offer. Yami wasn't surprised, he wasn't even disappointed. A part of him really wanted this deal, but the other and much greater part had hoped, Seto would say no. Now, Yami could revenge his brother…

"Then I shall declare war…"

He couldn't even finish, before Seto already growled at him:

"That is all, I ever asked for. Now, you will die." The hunter catched a little ball of glass out of his pocket. Lights were dancing within it and when he broke it, the whole shrine was illuminated with the warm rays of a midday's sun.

"DIE!", Seto yelled…

"A/N: Well, is Seto going to succeed?


	7. The guardian's advice

Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 6: The guardian's advice

The hunter catched a little ball of glass out of his pocket. Lights were dancing within it and when he broke it, the whole shrine was illuminated with the warm rays of a midday's sun.

"DIE!", Seto yelled…

Everything went white and bright and… Hell, without sunglasses you were bound to become blind- at least, if you're human. The werewolfs were too shocked to do anything, but raise their arms to cover their eyes. None of them could even think of protecting their king from the shining light.

The vampire hunters had their eyes already covered, since they knew of the plan. Still, some of them helped to ease any pain by doing the same as their enemies. Seto, who was nearest to the source of light, however didn't bother. He just stared at the point, where he knew, the vampire leader had been mere seconds ago. Of course he couldn't see anything, but the head hunter knew, what was happening to Yami.

Or at least he thought so…

The two guardians didn't do anything to help Yami either, because they knew, it wouldn't be ebough to kill him. The light would burn him down to shadows, but nothing more. The pharaoh would dissolve into darkness and then reappear somewhere in the shadows as soon as the light would vanish. However they weren't going to let that kid get through with this scandal!

Soon enough the light faded and left behind everyone standing, where they have been before. Even Yami was there, calm and threatening and smirking like one bad boy…

"What the…", Seto cried, but was cut off, as Duke stepped infront of him.

"You've violated the rules, Seto Kaiba. We should kill you for that."

"No!", Yami's calm voice was heard. "I do not wish for him to be punished this way, because… that _pleasure_ is…mine."

"Why's that?", Ishizu asked coldly.

"He hurt my brother- the only family I've left. I hereby claim the permission of the guardians for rightous revenge."

Seto just looked dumbfounded (sp?). It would be so easy for the vampire leader to have him out of the way, why would he decline that "offer"? Even so, Seto had shot at his brother… where was the sense in that?!

"As you wish!", the guardians finally answered. "But he will be punished. We'll come to you, Seto Kaiba, and take away every magical weapon you posses and every information of how to make them, too. Be prepared."

With that they vanished.

Yami looked at Seto for a moment and grinned at the utter shock on his enemies face, not to mention all the confusion about his behaviour and him not being dead. The pharaoh was quite pleased with himself. He had expected some sort of a trick with light or fire, so he had only brought werewolfs with him. And the fact, that Seto obviously didn't know, his little plan wouldn't work out was an extra point, even so it marvellled him a lot. Every other vampire hunter, he had known, knew at least this much. Didn't Seto think, that others had already tried this?!

Yami shook his head at how thin Seto's knowledge was, then he just turned around and slowly walked away from the stunned hunters. They actually were so confused, they didn't even notice him leave and didn't yell at his back, how they would slowly, painfully kill him one day…

_(Scene change)_

Seto sat behind his desk. Papers lay infront of him, but he didn't even bother to look, he just sat there and staired at the wall on the other side of the room. He couldn't stop thinking about the "accident" the other day. How could the vampire leader still be alive? The sunlight should have killed him! It had killed all those other vapires he used it on… But not on this one! And now the guardians would take every magic with them. If at least, he would have had succsess, he wouldn't mind it so much, but under this circumstances…

"You should've thought of that, before you broke the rules!", a reprimanding voice called from the door.

It was that woman. Ishizu Ishtar. She had read his thought like a book. Without his permission, she stepped into the room. Not that he was going to say something- he already had more than enough problems with the guardians of twilight…

"What do you want?", Seto snapped none the less.

"How rude."

Seto kept silent and Ishizu sighed.

"But not unexpected."

Another sigh.

"Where did that idea come from? I mean, how could you possibly think, you were the first, who tried to kill him using sunlight? Don't you know anything about the ones, who were here before you?! Why do you think, he's still alive- after five trhousand years? Besides, even if it would've killed him, we wouldn't have allowed it. It was against our laws! Sacred ground, Seto Kaiba. Never forget that."

"Those are many questions…", he stated calmly, ignoring the last part of her speech.

"I'm a curious woman. After centuries of looking at the respective leaders of the three sides, you're the first one, that really is different. Even your teacher, the former head of the hunters, wasn't so… ingenious. However, you can't walk around, doing whatever you please. There are laws for this, you know!"

Silence again.

"You don't know, do you?"

"What?", Seto asked angrily.

"You don't read the papers about it… I see."

"About what, woman?!" He was getting more annoyed by the minute.

"About how to kill the vampire leader…"

Silence, but this time it was, because Seto didn't _know_ what to say.

"How?", he then hastily asked.

"A… Yami can only be killed by the right hand."

"Where do I find that hand?", Seto asked, ignoring his curiousity about that "A" for the moment. Ishizu blinked. No one, ever, had it figured out that fast. Most of them never did. "I'm not like the others."

"I can see that!", Ishizu answered, when she finally woke up from her surprise. "To find the "Right Hand" you have to do something, that not even the vampire leader could do- and remember, he had five thousand years."

"What would that be?", Seto asked a little anxious about it.

"You have to find the lost city of Atlantis. But beware! No one, who enters the "City of Light" shall return the same again- if they return. Besides, you're not allowed to even roam the borders of Atlantis or enter the city without the permission of it's leader."

"Atlantis doesn't have a leader. Or at least that is, what I've been told."

"Yes and no. The rightful heir to the throne of Atlantis hasn't returned to the city yet, so for the time being the Hig Council of Magicians is in charge of Atlantis. They all have a very suspicious nature, though. They won't trust you easily, maybe they'll even have your head- _if_you are able to find them."

"Can't you just tell me, who that person is- for heaven's sake?!", Seto growled.

"The Light."

"Excuse me?"

"The person you're looking for is The Light."

"But The Light is a pendant…", Seto tried to argue. How could a pendant have a hand? Or be a person?

"Wrong. The pendant is "The Light of Atlantis", but we're talking about the elementary force of light here. The pendant keeps only a part of The Light's power and was made to find it's rightful owner, so that no imposter would ever sit on the throne. However, the pendant is lost to the hunters, so it doesn't really matter…"

"But-", he began, only to be cut off.

"You have your clue, Seto Kaiba. I suggest, you act on it."

_ "But it just might turn out another way, than you want it to…"_, Ishizu thought as she vanished from his office, leaving behind a very confused Kaiba.

_(Scene Change) _

"So, she gave him his clue?!", Yami asked amused.

"Yes, pharaoh!", Duke answered, not really understanding, why Yami had encouraged Ishizu to tell Seto more, than they've ever told a head of the hunters.

"And he figured out immediately, that he needed another person?"

"Yes."

"He really is smart, then. This could get intresting. Maybe he even finds Atlantis, but he will never find the person, he's searching for."

"Because he doesn't have the pendant, right Yami?", Joey asked, sitting beside him. In the room were the two guardians, his best friend, Mana and his brother. After that comment the room fell in uncomfortable silence for a moment. Mana and Yugi both seemed very nervous and refused to even look at Yami, while Ishizu and Duke politely kept silent, until Yami finally answered.

"Indeed, Joey, indeed."

"We'll get going now. Everything for us is done in this world. We will be returning to our…home…", Duke hesitated. Atlantis wasn't his real home and so egypt wasn't Ishizu's, but they had lived there so long, it just felt like right to call it that.

"Sure!", Yami said, smiling. "I'm sorry, I've bothered you. However, I better get going, too. I have an appointment."

Thinking of Anzu, he, too, vanished, his hand a fist, hiding from his friends and family whatever was in it…

A/N: Sorry, it took me so long. I caught a cold and had to work on a project for my german lessons… And then my account on wouldn't work, so everything else was a little delayed. I hope this chapter makes it up to you- a little bit.

Please read and review!


	8. Memories

_Disclaimer: _ _Me: Yami, would you do me the honor?_ _Yami: Do I have to?_ _Me: Do you want Anzu to be your beloved one?! Threaten_ _Yami (sigh): Fine. Mayet does own YGO, but only in her __dreams__…_

_Me: That's mommy's little boy! Now enjoy your chapter…_

Please read and review! Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 7: Memories

Thinking of Anzu, he, too, vanished, his hand a fist, hiding from his friends and family whatever was in it…

Not long after he took off, hefound himself on that same balcony, he had left her, when thy first met. She had been so scared then. Well, the young woman **had** almost been raped half an hour earlier. Just thinking about that bastard who hurt his Anzu made his anger rise all over again. The man had died, yes, but to Yami it wasn't enough! Such scum had to be burned alive and cursed for every life, they might be reborn in.

"_Maybe I should just have castrated him, instead of just killing him…"_ Yami thought. _"Then again, I needed the blood- no matter how disgusting it was."_

Upon entering the living room through the glass door again, he noticed a light smell of something sweet. Anzu seemed to be in the kitchen, cooking something. He followed the scent with ease and ended up watching the brown-haired girl leaning forward to look into the oven. The sweet scent came from there and Yami quessed, Anzu had baked some sort of cookies or muffins. In fact the girl was wearing an apron over her casual clothes and an elastic held her hair up, so they wouldn't get in the way.

"_She just looks adorable!"_ the vampire leader thought to himself.

Anzu hadn't even noticed his presence yet. She was just to absorbed into her own sweet world, watching the pastries baking. Yami didn't bother to make her notice him as he walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist. She yelped at the sudden feeling, but he hurriedly shushed her:

"Don't be afraid! It's me! I'm sorry, if I scared you."

"Oh, Yami!" she sighed, relieved. "Hell, you have to stop scaring me. First my bathroom, now my kitchen. You'll give me a heart-attack, you know?"

She playfully slapped his arms as she turned around to hug him back.

"Where were you?" she asked. "I was worried, everything might have just been a dream. Because of the trauma, you know…"

"Ssh, don't think about **that**."

"Fine. I'll just enjoy the moment, then."

They stayed like that for a while, hugging each other tightly and thinking about nothing. Just feeling, whatever emotion was rising within them. But of course they had to part sooner or later.

"I have something, I want to show you!" Yami said as he motioned for her to go sit down on the couch. (Anzu had turned off the oven by then, so her muffins wouldn't be completely disastrous).

"What is it?" Anzu asked excited. "Is it **it**? You iknow, the "something", that belonged to her?"

"Yes."

"May I see it?"

Yami chuckled. She was beaming from excitement now, like a five year old child you offer candy to.

"Of course. It's your's after all!" he laughed.

Tea frowned.

"You really think, I'm her."

"I do hope so…" Seeing her hesitation, he added "I'm sure, Anzu. You **are** her. Don't worry yourself over this to much. Who else could it possibly be, if not you?"

"I hope so too…" Anzu stated quietly, before biting her lip in nervousness. It was true. She really was hoping to be that woman, he had loved and lost so many centuries ago. Because otherwise, she would lose him! She would let him go, if she wasn't her, but it would hurt- badly. It would leave her heart-broken. Again.

Yami smiled reassureingly. Actually, he didn't know, what to do, if Anzu wasn't her. He cared for the brown-haired girl a lot, he **loved** her. But he couldn't just forget the love of his life!

"Here!" he said and held out a little pendant to her. It was hanging off a gold chain, had the form of a tear and was as blue as the ocean. But when you watched it more closely, you would notice the faint glow within the crystal material it was made of. Anzu looked at it curious, then a shaking hand reached out to take it. As soon as she touched it, all coherent thoughts were swept from her mind.

Flashback #1 

_She was twelve and in the palace's garden. She was dancing on the brink of the fountain, the music only for her to hear. Her hips swayed gently on ther own accord, her hands making hypnotic movements. She swirled around, her long black hair flying behind her. Her eyes were closed in her excitement. She was giving all of herself to the rhythm. She didn't notice the presence of the little boy around her age behind the nearby column._

_He watched her silently, mesmerized by her flawless dancing. To him, she was beautiful! The most beautiful girl he had ever seen._

_Well, he hadn't seen that much girl, but… still, she was really good looking._

_When she finally stilled her movements and opened her eyes, she noticed him. Hs fine clothes indicated that he wasn't a servant like her. She took a closer look and noticed his spikey black and purple hair with those blond bangs infront. She immediately reckocknized the similarity to the king's father. The boy had to be one of the royal princes. _

_Which meant, he had to be a vampire!_

_End of Flashback #1_

Anzu felt her head spin as another memory popped up into her head.

_Flashback #2_

_She jumped from her spot on the fountain and walked up infront of him, a scowl on her face, her light blue eyes sparkling with anger._

_The boy was obviously taken aback by her irritation. He took a few steps away from her and almost moved into the sunlight. But she caught his wrist just in time to make him stop before he got himself hurt._

"_What are you doing out here at this hour of the day?" she asked gruffily and he seemed to understand, that she was angry at him, because she was worried. The boy replied nothing, just shrugged his shoulders in respnse. "You're coming with me."_

_With that, she started walking towards the nearest door, carefully avoiding the sunlight, while pulling him with her. A fter she had pushed him inside the palace, she made sure the doors were tightly shut, before turning to face him._

"_That was so reckless!" she xelled at him. "You could have gotten yourself killed, if you accidentally stepped out of the shadows." She went on lecturing him and checking him for any injuries and he didn't mind. In fact, he seemed quite happy and smiled all the time, while she complained. _

_However at that moment both of them had the strong feeling, that this was the start of a very special friendship…_

_End of Flashback #2 _

Now Anzu began to have a serious headache. It was as if the pendant wanted to show her so many images and couldn't quite decide which one first- and this was killing the poor girl!

_Flashback #3_

"_What's your name?" the boy suddenly asked, interrupting her in her mumbling._

"…_Teana."_

"_Hello Teana, I'm Atemu, but friends call me Yami." He held out a hand, inviting the dumbfounded girl to be one of those friends._

_After hesitating a few seconds and being reassured by a gentle smile she took his hand…_

_End of Flashback #3_

Atemu?

_Flashback #4 _

_Several years passed by as their friendship grew. Nobody knew, of course. But to them it didn't matter. They were best of friends and spent all the time they could together. Their meetings were nightly, since she had forbidden him to ever sneak out by daylight again. However, he sometimes watched her from his windwow, while she danced in the fountain or laid in between the bushes, when she drew a soft melody from her flute during sunset. She noticed him every time, but gave up on reminding him about the danger. As time passed by their relationship became more intense, deeper._

_It became a forbidden love…_

"_What's your name?" he asked her again, while she leaned her back against her chest._

_This time she didn't hesitate._

" _Thylea."_

_If he was surprised, he didn't show it._

"_Yours?"_

"_Still Atemu…" he chuckled and kissed her forehead lightly. "I love you."_

"_Me too."_

_End of Flashback #4_

"And then I died…" Anzu whispered.

_Flashback #5_

"_NO!" Atemu yelled, his expression full of worry and pain. He was chained to the ground in the king's hall. Thylea was brought before the throne by two werewolf guards. They held her arms so hard, they almost broke them._

"_Silence!" King Akunamkanon (sp?) yelled harshly at his son. Then he turned to the woman, a sadistic smirk on his lips._

"_I shall not open the doors of my palace to such sin. Therefore, you will be executed- to ensure the peace in our country! Isn't that a higher good worthy to die for?!"_

"_Sick bastard!" Thylea spat out. One of the guards slapped her. Hard. She was sent flying and then hit the ground with a loud smack. It sounded as if something was broken. When she looked up again, she was bleeding out of the corner of her mouth._

"_You can hit me as much you want. You won't break me! Ever!" she shouted. "I love him! And I always will… no matter what. Even if centuries come and go by, I will find his ambrace again."_

_And then she felt a fierce pain as the king stabbed her…_

_End of Flashback #5_

Anzu found herself crying into the crook of Yami's neck. All those images floated her mind, she couldn't think straight. But one thing she knew for sure now, she was that sorceress he loved and by now she had lived up to her word:

She was in his arms again!

"What's your name?", he asked in a monotone voice.

"Thylea!" she cried even harder.

"And mine?"

"…Atemu."

Next thing she knew, he crushed his hot, hungry lips against her soft ones…

A/N: Another cliffhanger here! I hope you don't mind too much. Hope, you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'll try to update as soon as possible.


	9. An unexpected request

Please read and review! Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 8: Unexpected request

Next thing she knew, he crushed his hot, hungry lips against her soft ones…

The kiss was frenzied and passionate, but at the same time tender and loving. In it Yami expressed all the feelings he had harbored for her so long, all his love and devotion… and need. He could feel her gasp and took the opportunity to slide his toungue into her warm cavern, exploring every inch of it, gently sucking at her toungue. Azu took the cue and began a fight for dominance, not really bothering anymore that she still had a headache from the blue crystal of her pendant.

"_This is surreal. It's too good to be true…"_, she thought as they broke apart for some air.

Despite his obvious need to taste her again, Yami just put his forehead against her's, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of being near her again. They both panted from the lack of oxygen, but he couldn't care less. Infact, he cherished the feeling, because it showed him that this had indeed happened.

"_It was not a dream."_ He let out a relieved sigh, when he felt her touch her lips to his head. 

She embraced him, putting his head over her heart, so he could hear t pounding under her skin. Yami decided, he had never heard something more amazing. Had never felt a greater bliss, than now as she was in his arms again after so many centuries of waiting and fearing, he might not see her again.

"I love you!", he whispered, a lonesome tear sliding down his cheek from happiness.

Anzu chuckled.

"I know, but it's still nice to hear it once in a while. So, tell me again."

Now it was his turn to smile.

"I would say it over and over again, just to see you happy: I love you, Anzu. I always have and always will."

"That's good."

"Aren't you going to tell me?", he asked, knowing she teased him.

"Ah… don't know. Maybe."

"Now I'm hurt…", he told her putting fake pain in his voice.

"Oh, ok. Love you too, Yami!", she laughed at him.

"See?", he chuckled. "That wasn't so hard, was it?!"

And then he kissed her again. Gentle this time, barely touching his lips to her's. The kiss lingered without them deepening it. They were happy the way it was. It was a kiss of pure feelings, nothing physical in it, just showing what they meant to each other. After the kiss broke, Yami went on giving her face butterfly kisses and stroking her nose with his. Anzu giggled. The vampire leader could be so tender, if he wanted. How could people ever think of him as a cold-hearted monster?

"_They just don't know him the way I do…"_, she thought. _"Then again, that makes me feel special. And only thinking of someone being this close to him… makes me feel __**jealous**__… No, it's a good thing, no one knows him as much as I do…"_

"What?"

The question pulled her back into reality. Her head snapped up, her eyes met his face, finding him cocking one eyebrow in amusement. She must have been really deep in thought, not to notice he stopped giving her little pecks everywhere.

"Just thinking how lucky I am."

"Oh."

She grinned. He wanted her to elaborate, buts she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction, so she just smiled at him slyly and got up. She gave her hips an extra swing as she was around the couch. When he asked her, where she was going, Anzu's smile grew seductive and her eyes shimmered with playfulness.

"Why to look after my pastries of course. I want to finish them before this night is over."

Her husky voice haunted him, sending shivers up and down his spine. Was she insinuating anything or was he just interpreting too much into her playful comment? Sure, she was obviously teasing him, but was she offering something at the same time? Or was the desire, he held so long, just taking over his senses? Whtever it was, it made him follow her into the kitchen and sneak his arms around her middle, while ravishing her neck. Anzu moeaned at his ministrations. She then lifted her arms and slid them around his neck for support as her knees buckled, placing her hands in his messy hair. Yami smirked. She seemed to hold some needs herself! Lightly grazing her delicate flesh with his teeth, making sure he wouln't bite her in the process, he wandered over to her shoulder, then to her left arm. Suddenly his toungue darted out, licking and tasting her soft skin, and she groaned in pleasure. He was doing so much, but kiss her arm and she could already feel the heat boil inside of her stomach and gathering between her tighs…

(Scene Change)

The brown-haired man was thinking hard about what the female guardian had told him. At first, he thought of it as a trap. Why would the banshee help him so much? Was this all a plan of the vampire leader to kill him? But that couldn't be, since the guardians of twilight had been around for so long and neer worked for one of the two sides of this war. So Yami couldn't be the one to sent Ishizu, or could he?  
Seto wasn't convinced. He was a very suspicious man and didn't trust anybody, not even his fellow hunters.

Well, maybe he trusted his brother, Mokuba, but that was it!

However, he couldn't deny, that the guradian's advice made perfect sense. Yami was one of the most powerful creatures on earth, so only another creature beyond just powerful would be able to kill him. Problem was, how should Seto find this "Light". If he was to find Atlantis to get "The Light's" help, he was doomed. How should he do that? Noone ever found the City in the Sea… not even the vampire leader did- in fifethousand freakin' years!!! So, how was he supposed to do so in just one human lifetime?!

"What to do?", he thought aloud, while pacing in his office like a tiger in a cage. "How to find Atlantis?"

"Why don't you try those old books?", Mokuba asked all of sudden. Seto hadn't even noticed his little brother came in and if he was surprised to see him, he didn't show it.

"What books?", Seto snapped. He wasn't in the best mood today anymway and he didn't like it, when he didn't know, what others were talking about.

"Those old books Anzu kept in her apartment. She once told me, that they were chronicles from nearly five millenia ago. That's the time, when Atlantis disappeared from history books, isn't it? So, I thought, maybe you are able to find some cues in those books- if you can get Anzu to hand them over to you…"

Mokuba couldn't stop the bitterness and anger from showing in his voice. Even though he loved his brother, he never forgave him for what he did to Anzu. He had learned to love Anzu as an older sister during the time, she and Seto were engaged. But after what happened, the young woman didn't even want to talk to him on the phone, let alone see him and play with him. Mokuba had felt a little betrayed at the beginning. He felt left alone! That was until he discovered, what Seto had done to upset her. After that, he had just been angry at his brother and himself, for not noticing. A few days after, Anzu had called him on the mobile phone and apologized for her rude behavior the other day. They had started to be friends again, without Seto knowing of course…

The brown-haired man would have been so mad and would have prohibited any contact!

"Oh, she will, I'll make sure of that."

His brother's smirk wasn't anyhing of Mokuba's liking…

(Scene Chance)

Yami had Anzu now sitting on the kitchen table, facing him, while he still worshipped her upper body with his mouth and hands. His right was tracing the outline of her breast, feeling no bra, just the thin material of her shirt standing in between him and the soft mounds of flesh. It got him only more aroused to think of it. Eliciting moans of pleasure he began to fondle her breast, while his mouth traveled back up her throat to capture her lips in a searing kiss. Her hand slid from his hair and wandered down over his chest, fingers hastily unbottoning his shirt amd sliding it off his shoulders, then caressing the firm muscles of his lower abdomem. Yami's öeft hand found it's way to the hem of her shirt and he was about to remove it over her head, when there was a knock on her front door.

"Ignore it!", he said in between kisses.

"I can't." She too seemed reluctant to go.

"Why?" Another knock.

"Because only ne person knocks like that."

"If it's Mai, I swear I will bite her!", he growled as he let go of her and moved aside, so she could get past him.

"Hide!", she ordered him, before she walked towards the door. She made sure Yami was nowhere to be seen, before she opened. Outside was- just like she had predicted- a very pissed Kaiba. Behind him she could see Mokuba shooting her an apologetic and… pleading?…look.

"What?", Anzu snapped.

"I'm here for business."

Anzu cocked an eyebrow, giving him a look, that clearly said 'Who cares! And besides, I would be most pissed, if you were here for anything else', then she shrugged and was about to shut the door in his face, when he forced his way inside.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Seto Kaiba?! Out of my apartment."

"Not without the books. Where are they?"

"What books?"

"The chonicles you inherited from your uncle."

"What do you want them for?"

"None of your buisness!", he snarled angrily, but she wasn't impressed.

"In that case, the books are none of **your** buisness… Now, get out!", she snapped back, hands on her hips and a dangerous glare in her eyes.

"Hand them over!", Kaiba ordered coldly as he extended a hand.

End of chapter 

A/N: Poor Yami and Anzu. Interrupted in such an interesting moment… Well, maybe they'll resume later on. By the way, there might be a lemon in later chapters. So the rating will probably go up. Hope you don't mind.

Thanks for reading.


	10. Revelations

Please read and review! Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 9: Revelations

"Hand them over!", Kaiba ordered coldly as he extended a hand.

Anzu stood there in silence. Where did that man… no, that heartless bastard get the nerve to order her around?!? She wasn't one of his fellow hunters, who followed his every will like dolls! And she would never be!

'Does he really think, I'll just search my entire apartment for two old ancient books, because he…', she began to think angrily, but didn't get to finish her thought. Seto added a little something that got her temper only worse:

"NOW!"

That was it! Anzu was so ready to slap him across his arrogant face, bring her knee up into his groin and then burn him to ashes… Of course, she did nothing like that. She was an overly good person and wouldn't lower herself to her ex-boyfriends standards- no matter how tempted! Instead, she just quirked an eyebrow, went to move past him and open the door again. They stood like this for a moment. Seto had turned around in utter disbelief that she dared show him the door, that she dared deny him his wish. Didn't she care, that – if his plan worked – they could erminate the creatures of night for good?! Didn't she care, that no mother would have to fear for her child anymore, to get eaten alive by a bunch of werewolfs or other monsters?! Didn't she care, that… "Get. Out. Now." Anzu all but ground it out, jaw clenched in her anger. She wouldn't show her fury anymore than that, but even to him it should be obvious that she was in fact downright furious! The brunette hoped, he would get the point and leave her alone. Not only had he the nerve to show up at her apartment after what he did and claim for something that was most precious to her… No, he also interrupted what could have been the best time of her live for the last five thousand years! How dare he?!?! Of course, she wouldn't tell him that! Anzu almost snorted aloud at the idea. No, if she would say one word, she would practically hand her lover over to the cold buisness man. And she couldn't deal with loosing him again, after she had just found him, too. "What was that?", Seto asked, still incredulous. 

"You heard me right. Now get lost!", the young woman spat angrily.

"How dare you…?"

Instead of lecturing him about the "daring part", she just waved her hand to cut him off and spat out her reasons with pure venom in her voice:

"Look, I've to get to work in an hour and I still need to change. So I don't have any time for this. You've always had a bad timing and, as I can see, it hasn't gotten better one bit! There is no need for you to be here and don't even think about coming back later! Really, Seto, it'd be pointless. I won't give you those books _ever_. They are far to good and precious to me, that I would allow your _dirty_ hands on them. You want them?! Mmpf, over my dead body!"

With that finally said, she pushed both brother out of her door, giving Mokuba a light hug however, as if to say:

"I – know – it's – not – your – fault – so – don't – worry."

After the door closed, Yami came out of his hiding spot immediately, gathering his love into his arms. Thankful she welcomed his embrance, relishing in the fact that he was so close to her, she could smell his scent. It brought her troubled mind peace. On the other hand, it reminded her of what she needed to make clear about the two of them together:

"You won't ever see Atlantis, Atemu. Not, if I can help it."

"I know!", he replied quietly. He had quessed that. Atlantis was the city of the sorcerers. They would never give on their position freely. "I don't care as long as you let me be with you and love you, 'cause I can't help it."

He smiled at her. During all the time hiding in the shadows he had been tempted to just walk up to Seto and punch him- hard. But that would have brought Anzu into serious trouble, which was the only reason he didn't give in to his desire. Although he couldn't help but be a little concerned about that last expression on the hunter's leader's face, before the door was closed. Anzu didn't seem to have noticed, but an odd look crossed Kaiba's face. Almost as if he noticed something out of order and it was nagging at him. The hunter seemed puzzled, thinking hard about something. Yami bit his bottom lip for a moment. What could possibly put that look onto Seto's normally stoic face. Sure, Yami didn't know him much, but he was good at quessing characters and Seto most certainly wasn't someone to show off his emotions so openly…

Smiling again he put that little problem at the back of his mind, watching instead how her features changed after his next words sunk in. " Shouldn't you go to work sometime soon, Thylea? They probably don't expect you to be late, do they?"

"O my gosh!", she cried out in horror, bolting out of his hug and setting off to her bedroom to chance attire. Yami watched the one-woman-show highly amused by her babbling at her self and muttering insults under her breath.

"Now, now. I get offended."

"O, shut up. I got to hurry."

And with a light kiss on his cheek, she was gone.

_I didn't even get to see her outfit…'_, he sighed to himself. Then smirked. _'O well, that just means, I have to go see the show, right…'_

(Scene Change)

'Something wasn't right. It was odd.'

Seto couldn't keep the thoughts from coming. And it annoyed him to no end. He didn't get what he wanted. He was angry about that, but not only that. Some other emotion rose in his chest, he couldn't really place.

'She did seem strangely exhausted. Her cheeks were flaming red as if she had been working out in the cold. Her eyes were glazed with something at first, something else than anger… and there was disappointment! But what should she be disappointed about?… '

He couldn't help but wondering what she had been doing just before he got to her place. What had he interrupted? And why did he feel as if he was missing something? A piece of the puzzle, a rather important piece.

Then it hit him!

The pendant.

There had been a dark blue pendant, half hidden under her shirt, but still in view. It had the form of a tear and, if Seto remembered well – which he was sure of – it seemed to glow from the inside…

'_Was that?…'_, he asked himself, while turning around. It had to be. He would find out by all means necessary…

(Scene Change)

It was full, almost crowdy in the night club, Anzu worked in. There wasn't one table there, that was still free. Yet, more costomers were coming. Pegasus' club, the (not so) "Holy Spitits" was going good, which the formidable dancers were to thank most for. Dancers such as Anzu herself. Her and Mai's show was on in five minutes.

Yami was standing in the shadows again. Of course, he couldn't just go up to the man at the entry and ask for a table, even if there were still one. He would be reckognized as who and what he was… and that wouldn't be good! No, he just moved through the sidewall he now leaned on and watched around. The place, he decided, seemed nice enough. It wasn't a shabby bar, where a young, attractive woman would have to watch out for her rear, because of some drunk bastards. It was more like a resturant with a stage in it as an extra thrill…

So, instead of going to find his love and dragging her out of a pub, asking her if she liked to get molested and scowling all the time, the vampire leader relaxed against the wall and waited paciently for the show. He was satisfied only two minutes later as low arabic music reached his ears. From under the stage to woman in oriental dancing outfits came into view. The pharaoh reckognized one as the blond from Anzu's sleep – over. What was her name again… o yeah, Mai. She wore a dark purple outfit matching her eyes. The other one, a brunette- obviously Anzu- wore the same dress, only her's was of a light apricot color (matching her name instead). Both women began to slowly, rhythmical and o so seductively move with the music, pace increasing and slowing down again, when the melody became calm. Anzu had closed her eyes, a habit, Yami remembered from thousands of years before. She always closed her eyes, hearing the rhythm, feeling the music and moving along with it naturally.

"She's great, isn't she?", a masculine voice asked from his left. Yami bolted upright, supposing that he had been uncovered, readying himself for a battle. The pharaoh turned around to see a seemingly young man. Strange enough his long hair, tucked into a light ponytail, was white as snow.

'Something's off here. He doesn't seem…human to me.'

"That's because I'm not."

"You can read my mind?", Yami asked, taken aback by the strange man.

"I can read everybodies mind."

"Are you a guardian?"

"…Mmh, you could say that…", the man mused, adding at Yami's confused look. "I'm nothing like the other guardians you know of. I'm not an angel or a banshee, I do not care about vampires, demons and sorcerers- unless you count Thylea in of course."

"You know what she is?"

"That's why I'm here in the first place."

Realization dawned on the vampire leader.

"You're a Guradian of Eternity( again, I do not own the book and I don't want to make any money with this). You're a spirit!"

End of chapter 

A/N: Another chapter finished. I know it was a little dull… took me effort to write something at all, but I'm getting to it. Again, I'm sorry for the long wait, but my oral exams are just out of my door, if you understand what I mean , I need the time to prepare myself, I'm sorry.


	11. Victim

Please read and review! Starcrossed lovers 

Chapter 10: Victim

"Are you a guardian?"

"…Mmh, you could say that…", the man mused, adding at Yami's confused look. "I'm nothing like the other guardians you know of. I'm not an angel or a banshee, I do not care about vampires, demons and sorcerers- unless you count Thylea in of course."

"You know what she is?"

"That's why I'm here in the first place."

Realization dawned on the vampire leader.

"You're a Guradian of Eternity( again, I do not own the book and I don't want to make any money with this). You're a spirit!"

The white-haired man said nothing to this, but his silence was everything Yami needed. He could see it now – the flow of power around the other. This man was not human, though he hid that fact almost perfectly. Even Yami had thought of him being nothing but a mere mortal. However this man had lived for longer than his people even existed. The vampire leader could feel it and almost grasp the wisdom the guardian was emitting.

"What's your name?", Yami asked curiously.

"I don't actually have one. If you live through all the millennia of earth, you come to understand that names don't mean anything. They are just whispers in the breath of infinity!", he replied. Then, after a moment of meaningful silence, he added: "The human beings in this world however call me Pegasus. I own this club."

"You live among them?"

"I had to. I have watched over Thylea's soul from the beginning of Atlantis till now and to do so, I had to take on a human form. My duty is now fulfilled, because the cycle of live, death and rebirth has been completed again…"

"What do you mean by this?"

"She knows, who she is and where she comes from. She doesn't need my protection anymore, so I will pass away from her life until the day she dies. And then her soul is mine to take care of again."

"I see."

"On a personal note: Take care of her. Watch over her for me. Through time I've come to love her- as a daughter- I don't want her to get hurt or die like that again. This time, you'll protect her, won't you?…"

Pegasus tone was almost accusatory(spelling?) and the vampire leader lowered his head in shame. He had failed to do, what was supposed to be his duty by his own hearts choice, once. He wouldn't fail his loved one again.

Never again.

"I will." His tone was serious, the look in his eyes one of pure determination.

"Good!", Pegasus responded kindly. "Say her goodbye for me."

And with that, he was gone. Dissolved into mist.

(Scene Change)

'_Yes, it has to be. There is no other way. It has to be the…'_, Seto thought frantically. He walked up and down in the hall in the ground floor. He was waiting for his men to get there, so they could put his plan into action. His younger brother, Mokuba, was sitting on the floor against a wall. The young man was thinking hard, how to persuade his brother to stop this foolishness before it was too late, but couldn't come up with anything.

'_If Seto decides to do something, nothing can stop him. But I don't want that, I don't want her hurt. It's not right. She has nothing to do with that…'_, he despaired silently.

'_We'll see, who has the upper hand! Ha! I always get what I want, you should know that by now. I will get your secrets out of you… Either with the nice ways or…'_ Still pacing like a caged animal, Seto didn't notice the dark looks his brother would give him every few seconds. He only snapped out of his triumphant musings, when he heard the front door swing open and the grave clicks of the heavy boots his mean were wearing.

"Finally!", Seto snarled. "What took you so long?!?"

"Sorry, boss, the…"

"Whatever. Now get moving. We have worked to do." He bellowed his orders, then showed them the right way to their victims appartment. His men followed wordlessly, except for one, who remained behind. Mokuba wouldn't move an inch from where he was- not even to get up from the floor. He couldn't anyway. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to stand up, let alone walk a straight line. His legs felt like mush, he felt so miserable.

"What am I to do?", he whispered into the void.

(Scene Change)

"What a shame, that Pegasus wasn't there, when you came to pick me up. I would have liked to introduce you. He's such a nice man, you would have liked him!", Anzu chatted away lightly, while Yami combed his fingers through her brown locks.

"I'm sure I would."

He didn't tell her of his meeting. No, that could wait. He would let her in on what "Pegasus" was really up to another time. Right now, he just wanted to have her close. Close enough to smell her light vanilla scented perfume. Close enough to hold his arm around her possesivly, so that everybody looking would understand that she was his. Close enough to feel the softness of her body pressing to his side. And especially close enough to give her a light peck on the flushed cheek. Whether it was from the cool night air or his closeness, he didn't know, but couldn't care right now anyway. He could, however, decide that she looked positively _**cute**_ when she blushed. His arm still around her, his hand now caressing her cheek, he brought their heads together, cheek touching against cheek and rubbed a little.

'_Like a cat looking for caresses!'_, she thought amused, liking the feeling of his smooth skin against her own.

"We're almost there." His voice brought her back to reality and she realized, he sounded a little reluctant. She giggled. "What?"

Now she was full out laughing at him. She tried to stiffle the sound, but couldn't help herself as she saw the pout on his face. It just seemed so unlike him. Usually he was cool and collectes, a leader with every fibre of his body. To see him act like a rebellious kid, who was denied when asking for candy, was just too much. There was only so much she could bear…

After quite a while of outragous laughter, Anzu was left breathless, but still giggling lightly into his chest. Taking adventage of the situation, he hooked an arm under her knee, the other remaining on her shoulder and lifted her from the ground. She squealed adorably and gripped his shirt for suppoert, then, laughing yet again, decided to put her arms around his neck instead. Finding the position to be actually pretty comfortable, the young woman rubbed her cheek into his shirt a little and decided to have a nap.

Yami chuckled.

"Well then, mylady, your knight in shining armor - or just plain old me – will escort you to you chambers then…"

That brought her back to life full force.

"No!", she actually squeaked. "Please, don't get me wrong, but… Knowing Seto, he will still be somewhere around here and if he sees you…"

She struggled to get her foot back on the ground again. He let her go, though rather reluctantly.

"So, love… this is goodbye then- for tonight?", he asked, still holding her close with one arm as he was very unwilling to let her go completely.

"Doesn't have to be. I'll go in and check up, if Seto wishes to bother me any further. If he's there, I will just shake him off somehow. When I step onto the balcony, it'll be safe for you to come in. Okay?"

"Yeah! I like that!", the vampire leader smirked. "And then… we'll go on from where we left off." Seeing her blush, he added innocently: "Eating your delicious… cinamon pastries together, fair maiden."

Anzu blushed even more, before lightly hitting him on the shoulder. But a moment later, she found out, she really wanted to know, if he would like them. That had been the first time, she'd ever tried to make some. Anzu knew, she was good at cooking, but baking wasn't exactly her forte. So she just hoped, they would be acceptable.

"They will be great…" he reassured her in a soft voice as if reading her mind. "Your facial expression gave you away. You seemed worried for a moment." He laughed as the young woman in his arms flushed a dark shade of pink again.

"See you later."

"Hopefully it does not take too long. I'm hungry."

Giving her a slow, sensual kiss as a goosbye, he let her go.

(Scene Chance)

Running through the hall, she reached the elevator, still blushing furiously. What was wrong with her? It wasn't like, they had never been together before. Why was she always blushing and so shy and insecure?! Okay, it had been five thousand years since she had last been intimate with him, but really… Flushing about eating pastries?

'_Get a hold of yourself, girl!'_, she admonished herself seriously.

Walking down the floor, Anzu fumbled with her keys, still thinking about her reaction to him and the way he made her feel complete… and also kind of… in place. She didn't have the feeling, she belonged somewhere else, where she should be right now, when she was with him. She felt like everything was, where it was supposed to be and the world was perfect. Of course, as long as there is life, the world will never be perfect, but with him beside her she could pretend. Pretend that there was no war going on in the underground. Pretend that there was no crime on the streets. Pretend that she was not the rightfull heir to the throne of Atlantis and that he was indeed no the vampire leader. But pretend that they were just two people, who met and fell in love with each other and were now trying to build themselves a happy home that would last forever.

Pushing open the door to her appartment, she thought, that someone up there seemed to like her, because he or she made the world just a little more perfect for her in this exact moment:

No trace of Seto Kaiba whatsoever!

'Hell yeah!' 

But then her vision began to blurr. Everything started to undulate like she was drunk. But she hadn't had a drink since the sleep-over party. So how she be drunk? As if her body had a mind on it's own, she brought her hand up to her neck and pulled at something in her hand. Looking at it in her state, she still recognized the little dart.

'_Poison…'_, she was able to think before her world became dark…

End of chapter 

A/N: Poor Anzu! Kidnapped. But… she has Yami as her knight in shining armor, or has she?

I got a request for more fluff between Yami and Anzu. As english is not my native language (I'm from germany) I'm not totally sure, what fluff is, but I tried to put it in by thinking about fluff fanfics I've read myself. I hope it came out at least a little fluffy. If not, I'll try again, I promise. If you have suggestions on fluffy/romantic situation Yami and Anzu should find themselves in later on in the story, I'll be grateful for any idea. Thank you.

On a personal note myself: I got 14 of 15 points in my oral exams. I thank you all so much, who wished me good luck. And I hope you examinations will go well too.


	12. Captured

Starcrossed lovers **Warnings:… Language, I suppose…** Chapter 11: Captured 

But then her vision began to blurr. Everything started to undulate like she was drunk. But she hadn't had a drink since the sleep-over party. So how she be drunk? As if her body had a mind on it's own, she brought her hand up to her neck and pulled at something in her hand. Looking at it in her state, she still recognized the little dart.

'_Poison…'_, she was able to think before her world became dark…

Several men walked out of the shadows. One of them had a long african looking tube in his hands. He shot the poisoned dart. Their faces featured dark smirks, but none of them as dark as the smirk of their leader: a tall man with short brown hair and the pair of coldest blue eyes you'll ever come upon.

Seto Kaiba

'_I have you now, Anzu!'_, he thought, enjoying the feeling of being superior to everyone. _'I told you: I always get what I want. I win.'_

With these thoughts in mind, he stroked ober the leather- covered books in his hands. It was almost a caress. These books would tell him, how to destroy the vampire leader and all the creature of night. He wasn't sure, if Anzu would help him willingly with his plan, but he was sure there was a solution for that in this book too. Maybe in there was a way so he could transfer her powers into him or a drug that would make her obey his every command… He didn't know, but he would soon. He would rip every secret out of these old books.

"Okay! Good job. Now back to our headquarters!" Seto barked.

For a moment his men didn't move. They were dumbstrucked. Kaiba didn't normally give pats on the back like that. He had to be in a really good mood and it had to do with their catch of this night. For hours now the hunters had been silently doubting their leaders state of mind. Why did he order them to atack a young woman, who was definitely human? Seto didn't tell them much about his reasons of action and they were convinced that this was just insane… but then again his plans always proofed to work out perfectly. In fact, the only creatures of night, that ever escaped him, were the vampire leader himself and his younger brother. The latter had needed a little help from his people, of course.

"What? Are you waiting for christmas?! Move, I said."

Eight voices responded immediately:

"Yes, sir!"

If Kaiba was in such a good mood, because of this action, than it had to be something important. And that meant, that the creatures of nicht they all despised so much were in for a surprise. The men re-grouped and moved discreetly out of the apartment.

One of them taking the girl…

(Scene Change)

Yami paced impatiently on the dark yard several feet under Anzu's balcony. Something wasn't right. He felt it with every bone in his body. Something was definitely off. Why didn't she appear on the balcony already. It had been half an hour since she entered the building- alone. Was Seto Kaiba such a persistent "guest"? Just the thought of that insufferable man in Anzu's apartment, refusing to leave her alone- with him- made his blood boil. How dare he to enter her home? How dare he interrupt their reunion? How dare he even think about his Anzu?

'_I'll kill him. No matter what she says about living in peace with everyone, I'll kill him, if he so much as touches her!'_ Yami silently vowed.

Why wasn't she coming? Why wasn't she on her balcony yet, telling him it'd be safe to come up now? Seto couldn't be stil in there, could he? Maybe she had forgotten about him waiting down her and fallen asleep? No, she wouldn't forget him, unless she died again! But, if so, then what the hell was she waiting for? Maybe she was teasing him?! Prolonging his torture and testing his self-control? He didn't know. But he knew, that he wouldn't wait another minute out here.

"Whatever is up there, I'm coming to take a look! Better be prepared, Seto!" he said darkly, just in case the man really was still bothering Anzu about those books.

At once his wings drove out of his body and with a powerful movement he was high in the air. Flying almost parallel to the building he reached Anzu's balcony in no time. Looking through the window of her door, Yami frowned. The lights were off. Maybe she really did fall asleep. But something within him felt uncomfortable. She wasn't asleep, he was sure of that, she couldn't be asleep. But then, where was she. Closing his eyes he tried to sense her, but found nothing. She wasn't in there? Had he flown to the wrong balcony? Swiftly he walked inside: Same couches, same lamps, same apricot painted walls! This was indeed her apartment! But where was Anzu? He tried to feel her again. This time he found her aura, but, though it was still strong, she wasn't there. She had made it to her apartment it seemed, but… then what? Then he noticed the other presences. People had already entered her aparmtent, when she arrived. And that could only mean one thing:

It was an ambush!

'_Damn!'_ Yami thought.

And _'Damn!' _he sweared again as he recognized one presence out of the others. _'Kaiba. And his mindless puppets.'_ The vampire growled ferociously. _'This man just doesn't know, when to step down from something… Very well, Kaiba. You'll have your wish: I'll come to you, so you can try and take me on! I'll show you what it means to mess around with adulty, brat!'_

(Scene Change)

When Anzu opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a bright light. She closed her eyes again from the pain. Then blinked. And blinked again. Finally, after repeating that procedure for a good five minutes, she was able to see again. She was lying on something. Something hard and staring up to a white wall. A single lamp hung down from it, emitting a piercing light. She avoided looking at it and instead tried to move, but found she couldn't.

'_What? Why can't I move?Am I… tied…'_ she panicked. _'Why am I tied to this… table? And where am I anyway? What happened…'_

She thought about it for a moment. She remembered dancing at Pegasus' club. Yeah, that was her job and she liked it. After her shift was over, she said goodbye to Mai and the others, then went out to find Pegasus, but he wasn't in his office. Yami appeared behind her and she had berated him for scaring her like that. He had shrugged it off and said, he'd walk her back home. At her aparmtent complex they had parted, but only for a short while, if Seto was waiting for her in front of her apartment door. She had walked up alone, but Seto wasn't there, so she went for the balcony as soon as she entered. Then something hit her, a fierce pain, and then…

…then everything became a blur!

'_Someone has kidnapped me!_' she concluded.

But why someone would do that, was beyond her. She wasn't poor, but she wasn't rich either. And more importantly, she had no living relatives that would pay for her freedom. So, if this wasn't about money- simply because it couldn't be- then **what** was this all about? Before she could even start to think about possibilities a door was swung open and someone entered. She could her the footsteps on the ground and groaned. Now she knew exactly who kidnapped her! Damn that selfish, little, idiotic bastard, he was such a royal pain in the ass. Why couldn't that jerk just leave her alone?!? Was that too much to ask?! Well, of course, from a egoistical little shit like one Seto Kaiba it was!!!

"Awake, I see."

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"When have you become so rude?"

"Since you tied me to a metallic table like a corpse for an autopsy, you pompous jerk! Though I must give you some credit, I guess. You're a good teacher."

"Language!" Seto reprimanded. "Such a foul mouth doesn't suit a lady, Anzu… Espescially not the Queen of Atlantis." Seeing her shocked face, he added: "Oh! Did you think I wouldn't know?"

"If you know who I am, then you know better than to treat me like this."

"I fear it is necessary. Because you'll probalby not help me destroy the dark races, right?"

"Absolutely."

"See? And because of this stubborness, I have to take measures."

"Stubborness? This is not about stubborness, you ass! I couldn't help you destroy them, even if I wanted to."

"Oh. And why is that?"

"Because where there's light, there has to be shadow- and the brighter the light, the darker the shadow has to be! It's all about balance, Seto. If there is no balance, there is no world. It's like… I mean… what's life without death, what's peace without war, or love without hatred. If nothing is ugly, you can't call anything beautiful. Don't you understand? The world needs the creatures of night. It needs balance."

"That's bullshit! You will help me destroy them, no matter if you want it or not."

"Oh and just how are you going to force me?"

End of the 11th chapter!

A/N: I know it's a little short, but I want to put what I plan to happen next into a chapter all of it's own, so please bear with me.


	13. Mokuba's Choice Plus a Surprise

Starcrossed Lovers Chapter 12: Mokuba's Choice 

"If you know who I am, then you know better than to treat me like this."

"I fear it is necessary. Because you'll probalby not help me destroy the dark races, right?"

"Absolutely."

"See? And because of this stubborness, I have to take measures."

"Stubborness? This is not about stubborness, you ass! I couldn't help you destroy them, even if I wanted to."

"Oh. And why is that?"

"Because where there's light, there has to be shadow- and the brighter the light, the darker the shadow has to be! It's all about balance, Seto. If there is no balance, there is no world. It's like… I mean… what's life without death, what's peace without war, or love without hatred. If nothing is ugly, you can't call anything beautiful. Don't you understand? The world needs the creatures of night. It needs balance."

"That's bullshit! You will help me destroy them, no matter if you want it or not."

"Oh and just how are you going to force me?"

Seto said nothing for a long time. Instead he moved around the table to a cupboard and opened one of the drawers. He seemed to be looking for something specific as he rummaged through the contents. He was making quite some noise. Finally he seemed to have found what he had been looking for and turned around to face her again. In his right hand he was holding a syringe and a little bottle in the left.

"What is that?" Anzu asked, suspicious.

"Just a little something I made especially for this occasion!" Seto answered calmly. "You see, I always knew that a wizard wouldn't freely help the hunter's. Because of their code, they would rather hide cowardly in their celestial city, than help humanity. So I decided to take things in my own hand and made this!"

"What is that?" Anzu repeated.

"It's a drug. It won't kill you, nor leave you addicted, but it has another wonderful effect… It renders you weak-willed. You won't be anything more than a mindless puppet at my commands…"

"You're crazy!"

"No. I'm practical. I need your powers to kill the vampire leader"-

"Yami."

"Excuse me?"

"His name is Yami." It wasn't his real name of course, but it was his none the less and she hated the way, Seto talked about her beloved as if he was some kind of object- just a title without a person and a story behind it!

"Ah. Fine. Where was I?" Seto asked in a mocking tone. "Oh, yes. So I need your powers to kill the vamp… I mean, _Yami_… and since you won't give them to me freely or destroy him willingly of your own, I'll have to take matters into my own hands again. I will give you this injection and make you susceptible to my wishes. Then…"

"I don't like to repeat myself, but… You're crazy."

"No, I'm a genius. It's creepy how thin the line is, isn't it?"

At this point, Anzu just laughed at him. She laughed so hard she was crying. Her body shook with her mirth, her breathing became labored and still she didn't seem able to stop. After a few minutes her back started to hurt, because it repeatedly hit the metallic table, but that didn't stop her either. She didn't even notice.

"What's so funny?!" Seto asked, irritated by her reaction.

"You!" she rasped.

"What?!"

"You heard me well, Seto!" she finally responded after she calmed down a little.

"And what makes me so funny?! You're not exactly in the position to laugh at me. Was my little speech to much for you to handle? Have you gone crazy? Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. In only a few minutes you'll be completely under my control…"

"Better stop, before I start laughing again."

Seto just watched her grin, raising an eyebrow in question.

"What? Too hard to figure out? You're supposed to be a genius, Seto. Whoever called you that must've been really dumb, I guess."

"…" The eyebrow twitched in irritation. Then, he was suddenly calm again. "It doesn't matter now. Soon you'll be just a doll."

"Hold that thought!" Anzu chuckled.

Then, in a flash of light, she was gone.

(Scene Change)

Yami was standing just outside the Kaiba Corporation Headquarters, the buisness company that provided the money for the hunters. He was waiting infront of a skyscraper, that stood calmly in the storms above. Down where he was standing the wind was fresh, but light. Still, he knew flying was not an option. Up there at the top level, where he knew Seto was keeping his lover, the wind would probably smash him against the building.

'_But, if I can't fly, that means I will have to take on the guards and I really don't want anybody to know I'm here. Seto is my only opponent, he's the only one I want!'_ the pharaoh thought. Sighing he realized, there wouldn't be any way around the confrontation with the whole staff_. 'Great. Just what I needed. A bunch of mindless idiots that stall me, until Seto can finish whatever he wants to do to her!'_

Maybe he could avoid fighting, if he just went through the walls?

Unlikely.

But Yami made his way to the darker side of the building anyway, where the lights were switched off and maybe, hopefully noone would notice him. He pushed his head through the wall first to see, if there was anyone in there. When he couldn't make out any person, he moved inside swiftly. With little steps he was at the other end of the room and through the door. The hallway was dark and empty… almost. As Yami rounded a corner he was confronted with a little figure with disheveled hair. For a moment he thought it might be his little brother Yugi, but how would he know that Yami was here. The pharaoh took in the boy's form and noticed that his hair was longer than Yugi's. Immediately he realized just who was standing right infront of him:

It wasn't his own little brother Yugi… it was Seto's little brother Mokuba!

"You're here to safe her from what my brother wants to do to her, right?" the boy asked into the darkness. He didn't wait for an answer. "I was expecting you."

"Were you?"

"Yes. Look, I know you have no reason to trust me and every reason to eat me alive, but please listen to me, first." He practically begged.

Raising an eyebrow Yami hummed, making Mokuba understand that he was waiting for an explanation. And a good one at that!

"I read one of those books Seto took from Anzu's apartment…"

"You're able to read that?" the vampire leader asked, astonished. This boy couldn't be older than 13 and yet here he was, saying that he read a book thousands of years older than himself and written in a language even Yami found complicated. He could read it, mind you- but hell, he had five thousand years to learn!

"Uh… Yeah. I know, I know. I was surprised too."

"Why did you open it in the first place? If you were surprised, that means you weren't expecting to be able to understand it."

"I thought, maybe there were some pictures accompanying(sp?) the story and I was right, but in the end I didn't need those… Anyway, I read a little in those books and found a very interesting prophecy."

"About what?"

"About you… and Anzu. It says that…**'When Darkness and Light are one, then peace is about to come. But a force led away from rightous thought'**… wants to make you two fall out or something. I don't remember the exact wording. Anyway, it means that if we don't save Anzu from my brother and the two of you get together it's probably Armageddon."

Yami chuckled. That was exagerated, but he wasn't going to complain.

"So, what you're saying is: You want to help me, right?"

"Yes."

(Scene Change)

"Where…?" Seto gasped.

"Right here, Seto."

The hunter's leader turned around, only to come face to face with a very angy sourceress. Anzu was floating a few inches above the ground in a sitting position. A slight glow came from the blue jewel she was wearing attached to a necklage- The Light of Atlantis. For a moment Seto wondered where she had it from, but he soon realized, that he had more serious problems to solve at the moment. How could he have underestimated her like that? Sure, he had thought, she wouldn't have any control over her powers yet- but then again, why would he think that?

'I should've known. The moemnt I saw that gem I should've known, she would use her powers sooner or later. Why didn't I think of that? It isn't like me to underestimate an opponent! Especially someone so dangerous.'

But that didn't matter now. It wasn't doing him any good to think about what he couldn't change anymore. He would just have to act very fast and give her that damn injection. Maybe he could use this situation to his advantage?! Surely, she would underestimate him now- seeing as she was definitely superior to him at the moment?! But Anzu seemed to know, where his thoughts were leading. She distanced her self from him by retreating higher into the air until she was floating directly under the ceiling. A grin spread across her face as she saw Seto's jaw clench in frustration. Anzu decided she wouldn't take any chances like he did, which let him to lose control over the situation instead of gaining more. A bright glow enveloped her hands and immediately the syringe burst into a thousand pieces.

"Now about that plan of yours!" she said as the light around her hands became piercing.

End of chapter 12!

A/N: Did you really think, Anzu would need any saving from Yami? I mean, come on, she's superior to Seto- but maybe Seto has another evil plan…

Finally, I finished another chapter. Unfortunately I don't know, when I will be updating again, as I'll have to move into another city soon. I'm very sorry, but maybe I get another chapter up or two, before I have to move…

One more thing: Thank you so much for 100 reviews!

I present this little interlude to you as sign of my gratitude…Enjoy!

**Interlude: Three questions at the oasis**

_(5000 years ago/ Egypt; Palace stables)_

"_Atemu, you here?" the quiet voice of a female whispered. She was hiding behind a large palm tree, spying through it's big leafs into the courtyard. Opposite to her hiding place were the royal stables. Only the pharaoh, his family and a few high officials had accsess to it. If she was seen even near the impressive building, the guards would kill her without a second thought. The stables were made out of wonderful beige sandstone and the royal symbol – the eye of Horus – decorated the front in real gold. Four guards secured the area, two at each entrance and they never left their positions. How could Atemu think she could enter there? He had to be out of his mind! "This is ridiculous…"_

"_Ssh…" a second voice suddenly answered. It was Atemu. He came up behind her, smiling and hugging her to him. "Don't you worry. There won't be any problems, Thylea. Go and wait for me outside the palace."_

_  
"But you said…"_

"_I wanted to see you as soon as possible."_

"_Hmpf. Where do you get these crazy ideas?…Fine, I'll see you outside." She turned in his arms and hugged him back for a moment, before gliding into the darkness between the plants as to not be seen by any of the werewolf guards around the palace. She could still here Atemu stepping out of his hiding, the guards falling to their knees and asking what he needed. And she knew, he would answer, that he needed two horses- one for himself, one for the "picnic basket". Though she was too far away to understand a word they spoke. In the meantime Thylea slipped through the secret passage and out of the palace. Then hurried to their meeting point and waited until he picked her up. _

_When Atemu came he really did have a picnic basket with him, so she had to sit behind him on his horse. Not that she was complaining. After all, she "had" to hold onto him as he dashed into the night. To do so she slid her arms under his and around his lean body. That done, Thylea decided to snuggle up against Atemu's back, until her head rested on his shoulder._

"_Comfortable?" he laughed._

"_Very. Thank you." She replied both playfully and truthfully. She never felt as much at ease as with him. She was always comfortable around him, she could always just be herself… That's what she loved him for the most!_

"_Unfortunately we're there already…" Atemu told her, sounding really disappointed, but helped her to climb from the beasts back anyway. They were at a little oasis a few miles away from the palace. Thylea often came here to enjoy the place's peacefulness. During the day, when she came here, some birds would sing in the palm trees, but now there was complete silence as it was dark. But the young woman didn't mind. It was actually kind of calming to hear nothing for once. Nothing but Atemu's gentle voice calling her over to their little picnic, that is. For her sake, he had lit some candles, he brought along. That was a good thing, because even she as a wizard could hardly see anything at night._

"_Would you like some wine, love?" the prince asked her. Thylea just nodded, enjoying the warming smile on his lips and in his purple gaze. His eyes were focused on her's though she didn't look back at him at the moment. He had always been entranced by her cerulean eyes. _

'They remind me of the sky… no, of the nile. Yes, of the nile, because like the holy river, that grants egypt it's life, she brings me to live my dreams. If it wasn't for her, I probably wuldn't even have some…' _he thought gratefully, watching her take a little sip from her cup. It was the most normal thing in the world, but with her doing it, it suddenly became a special and cherished memory like everything did, while they shared their meal in comfortable silence. Never did his eyes leave her face, not even when she presented a grape to him. He took the fruit from her just barely tasting her fingers in the process. Still, he felt the shudder, that went through her as his tongue touched the sensitive skin. She giggled, covering her blush by tilting her head so her brown locks would hide her face from him. Suddenly Atemu reached out with his hand. He cupped her cheek, caressing her face. The he forced her to meet his gaze. Her blue eyes shone with insecurity, but she continued to look at him. Atemu stood up and helped a very confused Thylea to her feet. _

_In the next moment he pulled her flush against him, his lips sealing her's in a passionate kiss. The young woman was so surprised she didn't respond immediately. After a few seconds of shock her mind finally caught up with the situation. Her eyes flew shut as she started to kiss him back eagerly as they moved together into he water. The cold liquid flowing around her ankles made her jump, but as they progressed further into the small lake she soon learned to ignore it in favor of his kiss. As their clothes were completely soaked, the two of them standing with the water up to their throats, his hands, that had been running up and down her sides moved behind her and up her back until they rested on her shoulders. Gently tugging at the straps of her simple white dress he let it fall into the lake. Atemu broke the kiss to look into her eyes again. They were half closed, glazed over with lust, passion and love. The insecurity that had been in her gaze just a minute ago nowhere to be found. She was standing before him in nothing but her ear-rings, but he held her trusting gaze. _

_She smiled at that._

_It wasn't about her body, it had never been about her body. He loved her for who she was and chose to be. So instead of taking advantage of her state of nudeness- not that she would've minded- he kissed her forehead gently, while his hands gripped her waist and lifted her slightly into the air._

"_What are you doing?" she inquiered. _

"_Nothing." Atemu said, grinning mischievously. Then he spun both of them around. A shocked gasp escaped her mouth, while he was helplessly laughing, when he felt his love grip his arms so hard it hurt._

"_Oh you!" Thylea screeched, then giggled, launching herself at him. They fell over into the water, laughing. Swimming to the shore Atemu laid down into the sand, the water still flowing around him. Still laughing hard the sorceress laid down atop of him, one of her hands tangeled in his unruly hair. "You know, that was fun. And refreshing." She started to get up clutching her soaked dress to her body, but paused as she felt strong arms wrap around her. _

"_We're not done yet!" Atemu all but purred as he brought his lips back on her own. This time the kiss was slow and sensual. They broke apart, when the need for air was undeniable, but continued kissing as soon as they took a breath. Thylea's hands left the dress, one grasping onto his hair again, while the other went around his stomach to hold him close. Atemu's own hands were at the small of her back pulling her into him even more, though she already snuggled up as close as humanly possible._

"_Are you afraid?" he asked as they broke apart once again._

"_No."_

"_Do you trust me?" He couldn't contain the anxiety in his voice._

"_More than anything."_

"_Will you let me make love to you, then?", he asked his final question._

"…_Yes!" she replied, a small smile gracing her lips. She was nervous, that much was obvious. But she trusted Atemu. He would never hurt her intentionally. And she wanted this, had wanted it for a long time. She loved it, when he told her how precious she was to him, how much he loved her… but tonight she wanted, needed him to __**show**__ her…_


	14. The Return

Starcrossed Lovers Chapter 13: The Return 

'_I should've known. The moemnt I saw that gem I should've known, she would use her powers sooner or later. Why didn't I think of that? It isn't like me to underestimate an opponent! Especially someone so dangerous.'_

But that didn't matter now. It wasn't doing him any good to think about what he couldn't change anymore. He would just have to act very fast and give her that damn injection. Maybe he could use this situation to his advantage?! Surely, she would underestimate him now- seeing as she was definitely superior to him at the moment?! But Anzu seemed to know, where his thoughts were leading. She distanced her self from him by retreating higher into the air until she was floating directly under the ceiling. A grin spread across her face as she saw Seto's jaw clench in frustration. Anzu decided she wouldn't take any chances like he did, which let him to lose control over the situation instead of gaining more. A bright glow enveloped her hands and immediately the syringe burst into a thousand pieces.

"Now about that plan of yours!" she said as the light around her hands became piercing.

'_Shit!' _Seto cursed. If she was going to use her powers, he would be unable to stop her- let alone make her do as he wished! The situation was serious. Anzu was in control of what happened, which angered the hunter only more. He hated it when he hadn't absolutely everything in his hands. It made him feel helpless, worse even: It made him feel weak- and he hated to be weak!

Meanwhile Anzu was getting a little nervous. She didn't like the silence, because it meant that Seto was plotting how to bring her down- litterally. Scratching her chin in thought for a moment, she decided to speak out and turn his attention back to her. Hopefully, that would get her the time she needed to find out, what to do with him… or the time Yami needed to get here…

Maybe he was close already?

'_Please.'_ She thought desperately. _'You gods above, please take my love here quickly.'_

"What you were about to do would have thrown the world off balance. Which in turn would have led to apocalypse. And all that just because you don't like vampires?!?"

"I didn't know it would cause such a thing…" he grumbeled slightly.

Maybe he could distract her until he found a way out of this mess, he found himself in?

Not likely.

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW?!?!" Anzu screeched. Seto had to cover his ears or he would've gone deaf. "You risked the lifes of everybody, put them in danger… not knowing the consequences of your actions? You're crazy!"

"So I've been told."

"Oh, don't you dare get cocky with me, you bastard!" the sorceress screamed at him, floating down from under the ceiling so fast she seemed to be falling. She stopped only inches above the ground, glaring at Kaiba as if he had robbed a little boy of his candy. Somehow it made Seto feel guilty. She had always had that ability, but it had only increased after they had broken up, because he had slept with his secretary. How she had found out about that, he never knew. Fact was, that **that** had indeed been entirely his fault! Therefor (spelling?) he had actually felt very guilty and even sorry as she had pierced him with this particular glare.

Another reason why he was happy they broke up: He didn't like feeling guilty!

'_Oh man, that was a close one!'_ Anzu thought in the meantime. _'Maybe he didn't notice the slip… Ah, don't fool yourself, of course he has noticed. He's Seto Kaiba after all. Damn! That could get me into serious trouble, if he were to connect the pieces. Hopefully, he just shrugges it off as an accident, because I was startled… and angry…and out right furious with him… Yeah, right._'

As she began to space out on him, her glare loosened it's touch, so that Seto was able to stop feeling like a filthy jerk. That was when his brain, that had been screaming at him something about her was being fishy for the past few minutes, took over again. It began to analyze what just happened. He knew he didn't have much time and that, if he moved abruptly, she would probably sent him through the wall with her magical powers. However, he couldn't help but noticed that her face had been holding an expression of shock as she fell from the air. Of course this could just mean, that she had been shocked to hear him comment in such a way- especially in his situation…

Kaiba smirked.

He doubted it!

As she seemed to be still absorbed in her own little world, he tried to move a bit to the left, where his briefcase lay on a table. If he could just get a hand inside, he might be able to snatch the second injection he had brought with him. In case the first wasn't enough to control her. You never knew with these magical creatures! He didn't trust them as far as he could throw them…

Silently rummaging in his briefcase, he found what he had been looking for.

Anzu was still thinking.

Pulling it out he made his way over to where the young woman was standing.

Anzu was scrathing her cheek thoughtfully as she was attacked…

(Scene Change)

(a few minutes earlier)

"So, you want to help me defeat your brother?" Yami asked again.

"Yes, to save Anzu. But on one condition…"

"That I leave your brother unharmed?!" the vampire leader guessed. The boy nodded. Yami hadn't expected anything else. He, too, would ask for his brother's wellbeing if the tables were turned. "Well, I can't promise anything." Mokuba's face fell. "He might not come out unharmed, …but I will allow him to live."

The black-haired boy cheered up again, if only a little. He loved his brother, but could understand the pharaoh too. The vampire loved Anzu and was rightously angry at Seto, because he wanted to harm his love. However, Yami just promised not to kill his brother- including to bite him, right?

"Um… Does that mean you won't…you know… suck his blood out of him?"

"I wouldn't do that even if you gave me permission to." _'Seto's blood must be pure acid with all that evil intent…'_ he added silently to himself and shuddered. The king of egypt decided, he really didn't need any poison in his veins!

"Good. Then follow me. I know where Seto is and how to get there without being seen!" Mokuba said as he snatched Yami's wrist. They began to ran in the direction of where Yami had come from. They rounded a few corners, passing up door after door, before turning into another hallway.

"It looks exactly like the other one."

"Every hallway looks like this. You get lost a few times at first, but after a while you get the knack of it. At the end of this hallway, turning left there is an elevator, that will bring us directly where Seto is. But there are some guards and we have to act quickly if we don't want them to alert the others and calling reinforcements."

"Let that be my problem. I haven't eaten in a few days anyway…" Mokuba looked horrified. "What?! We agreed I wouldn't bite your brother. I never said anything about the other hunters, did I?"

"But… but…"

"Do you want to save Anzu?"

"…Yes."

Yami walked right through the wall instead of rounding the corner. Bursting out of the thick stone, he sent the first guard flying into the wall on the other side. He crashed against it with a loud cracking noise, the cold wall crumbling a little. There were three more, charging at him with electricity powered sticks (sorry, didn't find a word for those in the dictionary). Yami grabbed the weapon, crying out in pain for a moment, but pulling the man to him anyways to punch him hard in the gut. While the third man charged, the fourth pulled out his communicator to ask for help. The vampire leader dissolved into thin air, only to appear behind said man, smash the radio and bite down into the man's throat harshly. Like a leech he sucked at his veins, blood streamind down over his chin, his gaze fixed upon the last member of the little troup. The man was terrified for obvious reasons. The show, he was getting, was like something out of a horror movie, a nightmare come true. Yet, no matter how much it made his blood boil with disgust and fear, no matter how much he wanted to gag right now or just run away from everything, he couldn't. He couldn't stop looking at the scene: His comrade, coughing up blood, groaning in pain and slowly thinking to the ground as the vampire behind him still held his mouth attached to his skin. His teeth in the man's flesh blinking white. It was too gruesome to watch, yet to intriguing not to. With a silent _'pop'_ Yami let go of the now limp body. His gaze still not leaving the other hunter's. The poor man crawled away in panic, but it was too late. The vampire leader had already reached him, biting into his skin too.

Mokuba hadn't dared to even take a look around the corner as first the crack, than a thud and afterwards muffled groans came from the fight. He knew what was taking place, even without looking. Yami was killing them… and he, Mokuba, had helped him do it. He had betrayed his brother and the hunters.

But most of all: He had betrayed himself!

"You can come now!" Yami's emotionless voice reached him in his self-loathing. "It's over. We have to go and find Anzu quickly, before Seto does anything bad to her." Mokuba came and took one moment to look at the mess. Two of the men were obviously fed upon. The skin of their neck was of a blackish blue colour, the veins in their eyes were widened. Some had seemingly opened, since the two men cried red tears. Their faces were pale like the rest of them, though you couldn't see that, because of the uniforms they were wearing. A groan was heard from the side. One of the men was still alive, but only half conscious. Mokuba looked at Yami. The vampire sighed:

"Go call a doctor for that one. I'll go save Anzu."

With that he went into the elevator and pushed the botton for the top level as the younger Kaiba instructed him to do. The doors closed silently and he was left alone with his thoughts… _'I hope she's alright. I couldn't bear it, if something bad happened to her. What if I come to late? What if I'm not able to save her? What if… No, stop! Get a hold of yourself, Yami! No human being has ever managed to stop you from anything, it won't start now. You will arrive in time and you will save Thylea!… She won't die again. I won't loose her ever again!'_

As the doors opened again, the vampire leader had to watch in horror as Seto stealthily walked over to a very pensive Anzu, that didn't seem to have noticed neither him nor his predatory smirk. In his right hand was a syringe, a yellowish liquid in it just waiting to be injected into his lover. A moment later Kaiba made a quick step in Anzu's direction. She finally noticed him as well as the syringe in his hand, but it was too late. He was too near and had surpised her with his attack. In her surprise and shock, she was frozen for a moment, which was everything Seto needed to practically _'stab'_ her with the syringe. But before the hunter could inject her every drop of that dangerous liquid, his hand had been snapped away and the syring was pulled out of her body. Half of the liquid was still within it.

"What did you give her, Kaiba?" Yami barked angrily, standing infront of Anzu. The woman gasped. Her prayers had been answered. He was here. To save her. Now she was save… save in his arms…and the world turned black. "Thylea!" The pharaoh caught her as she fell, his full attention on the woman in his arms. He missed Seto's triumphant smirk. "What did you give her, Kaiba! Answer me! Now." It was a growl that resounded from the walls. His mouth was still open, showing his canine teeth, but that didn't worry Seto anymore.

"You will see soon enough, vampire."

Yami growled again, but then decided to ignore him. He turned to Anzu. She was becoming paler and paler with every second that ticked by. Whatever Seto had given her, it seemed to be working even though he had stopped the injection before it had been completed. Suddenly an idea struck him:** Once he had been bitten by a snake. It had been another afternoon, where Thylea and him had just layed in the garden- in the shadow of a big palm tree- gazing at the clouds. He had streched out like a napping cat and then yelped in pain as he felt the bite in his hand. Both of them had shot up from their lying positions and Thylea had seen the snake gliding away. She immediately grasped his hand, putting her mouth over the wound and sucked some of the blood out of him. **With it the poison came out too. Sure, it wouldn't have made a difference as he was already dead, technically, but it was a nice gesture anyway. Now however, Anzu's life might depend on that and he was just grateful he remembered it in time. The wound wasn't on Anzu's hand but on her cleavage. Lowering his head he began to carefully suck at it, making sure not to bite her. If the situation were a little less deadly, he would actually find the time to enjoy her soft skin under his lips and the sweet taste of her blood, even in this enviroment. But alas, I shan't be, at least not until they were save and out of here.

Seto looked at the scene dumbfounded. What the hell was going on here? Why was the vampire leader KISSING a sorceress?! _'Wait, wait. He isn't kissing her. He is sucking out the drug.' _Still, Seto had to wonder, why the man even cared. This was his most powerful enemy and he HELPED her? _'Maybe it's all about that balace bullshit?… Wait, I can't let him suck the drug out, if I want her to follow my orders…' _

Pulling out his gun to shoot the pharaoh,he was very surprised when it disintegrated into dust before his eyes. He knew it couldn't have been either Anzu nor the pharaoh, seeing as the first was unconscious and the other concentrating on his task. He looked up, expecting to find Ishizu or Duke to stand there, when it were actually three men in dark blue cloaks. Two of the men seemed to be twins, both with spikey white hair and chocolate brown eyes, though one's skin was definitely tanner than the other's**( I know Bakura or Ryou- I'm never sure which one of them is the ghost of the millenium ring- however, I know he is evil in the original series, but I wanted to make him good for this fic)**. The third man however was wuite different. He had no hair at all and wore instead a turban, his blue eyes piercing against his tanned skin. The man's hands were glowing in a sandy colour; he had obviously just used magic.

"But… that can't be…" Seto murmured. "You're…"

"You shall not harm our queen." The man with the turban said quietly, but firmly.

**End of chapter 13!**

**A/N: This was a little longer, than my usual chapters. Though the last one was logest so far with the interlude at the end… Anyway, I hoped you liked it. I'm not sure, when I will have to start preparing for moving, but it will probably not be to far from now. However, I'll try and write another chapter until then. Hopefully I get it uploaded before my computer get's moved.**


	15. 5000 years of hatred

Starcrossed Lovers Chapter 14: 5000 thousand years of hatred 

Seto looked at the scene dumbfounded. What the hell was going on here? Why was the vampire leader KISSING a sorceress?! _'Wait, wait. He isn't kissing her. He is sucking out the drug.' _Still, Seto had to wonder, why the man even cared. This was his most powerful enemy and he HELPED her? _'Maybe it's all about that balace bullshit?… Wait, I can't let him suck the drug out, if I want her to follow my orders…' _

Pulling out his gun to shoot the pharaoh,he was very surprised when it disintegrated into dust before his eyes. He knew it couldn't have been either Anzu nor the pharaoh, seeing as the first was unconscious and the other concentrating on his task. He looked up, expecting to find Ishizu or Duke to stand there, when it were actually three men in dark blue cloaks. Two of the men seemed to be twins, both with spikey white hair and chocolate brown eyes, though one's skin was definitely tanner than the other's**( I know Bakura or Ryou- I'm never sure which one of them is the ghost of the millenium ring- however, I know he is evil in the original series, but I wanted to make him good for this fic)**. The third man however was wuite different. He had no hair at all and wore instead a turban, his blue eyes piercing against his tanned skin. The man's hands were glowing in a sandy colour; he had obviously just used magic.

"But… that can't be…" Seto murmured. "You're…"

"You shall not harm our queen." The man with the turban said quietly, but firmly.

Seto's eyes flew wide, his mouth agape. So his assumtion had been right after all. These three men were wizards from Atlantis and they came here to save their leader from him. Without his men or weapons, the hunter knew, he wouldn't stand a chance, if even one of the men decided to attack him.

Well, shit!

Meanwhile Yami was still doing his damnest to get the poison Kaiba gave her out of Anzu's system. Fortunately, he found it very easy to determine how much poison was left in her blood by it's taste. At the beginning, Anzu's blood had tasted bitter and foul, because of the mingling poison. With time, however, that bitterness had slowly faded until it was hardly even there anymore. At this point the vampire leader decided it would be enough.

'Whatever that brat gave her, it should be neutralized.' With this thought he spit out the last mouthful of liquid to make sure, the poison wouldn't effect him. 'Who knows, what the hell that is supposed to do, when it's working… Better not to take any risks. The brat has proven to be ingenious.'

"Vampire!" Yami heard himself be called. When he turned around, he was facing both white-haired men; there chocolate-brown eyes fixing him suspisciously. Of course the pharaoh didn't feel threateneed. He could take them on, but decided to forgo a fight in order to keep peace. So, instead of growling at the two, when they approached his lover, he leaned back. This gave both men a good view on the wound of their mistress. They looked surprised once they saw there weren't any biting marks on her alabaster skin. The twins exchanged a look of pure confusion. This wasn't what they had been expecting. The creature of night kneeling beside their queen really had just tried to help her. Raising an eye-brow at Yami one of the men took another step forward and crouched down to slide one of his arms around Anzu's back and lifting her up a little. This time Yami couldn't surpress the dark, menacing growl breaking free from his throat. He eyed the sorcerer suspisciously and seemingly undecided, if he should perhaps interfere with his actions.

"We just wish to help her…" the other twin, still standing a feet away, suddely explained as if he was sensing Yami's distress. "I'm Ryou and these are Bakura and Shadee. We thank you for what you did, creature of night. You did us a great service-" At this, Yami growled again. How dare he think, the pharaoh did what he did for the wizards?! They meant nothing to him. Nothing! He helped Anzu, because he loved her more than anything and couldn't bear to lose her again. The yound mean cleared his throat, taken aback by the vampire's harsh reaction. However, soon enough he regained his composure and continued on as if nothing ever happened. "Well… yeah, we thank you, but now it is our responsibility to keep her safe. We will take good care of her, I promise! See, my brother Bakura is healing, what was damaged by the poison right now."

Yami moved his gaze towards the other brother and indeed found his hand glowing in a light shade of green over Anzu's chest. Suddenly the woman stirred. She stirred again and slowly opened her eyes to look up into brown one's. She took a moment to take in the man's face and his robes, then smiled. Her head turned to see his twin standing not so far away, seemingly relieved. As her head turned further she could see her lover bent over her, with a sigh and a grateful smile on his lips.

"Missed me?" Anzu asked playfully.

Yami chuckled. "You have no idea."

Then his eyes and voice turned serious again:

"When you didn't show up on your balcony, I began to grow worried. When I found out, you had been kidnapped- and by none other than Seto Kaiba- I grew scared. I couldn't lose you again, so I followed you here. When I arrived he was injecting something into you. You collapsed and I had to suck on your blood to get the poison out of you. Then, these people arrived."

He motioned for Bakura and Ryou and then for the third man. Anzu hoisted herself up into a sitting position, aided by both Yami and Bakura, to see another robed man with a turban on his had. His hands glowing in a fierce light, he was keeping Anzu's ex at bay- Seto hanging upside down in the air, struggling for everything he was worth and yet achieving nothing by it.

It was hilarious!

But before anyone could begin to laugh at the hunter's leader, the room was bathed in red light, the alarm going off and making it unbearable to be in the room. The noise was so loud and annoying that it broke Shadee's cncentration, which in turn had Kaiba fall head first a good five meters to the floor.

"What is this?!" Anzu yelled.

"It's my alarm system!"

'Oh, really?! We couldn't tell.' Yami rolled his eyes.

"It tells me, whenever a major number of vampires and such are in our part of the city. And judging by the data I just received, your lovely friend is planning an invasion!" Seto snarled maliciously. "I hope you're proud of yourself, Anzu."

The sorceress turned to Yami in shock, but he was already gone…

(Scene Change)

Almost instantly Yami arrived in the mansion his people lived in. It was completely empty in his reception's hall, but his keen senses picked up noises from the levels below. What was going on? Down there were only the dungeons and the…

"Oh, no." He whispered to no one in particular.

Rushing down the stairs and into the storage he found his closest friends Joey and Tristan there, putting on some armament and taking their equipment. They didn't hear their pharaoh coming, so when Yami cleared his throat to get their attention, they were more than a little surprised to find him. So surprised indeed, that Joey came running to his longtime friend and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

'Fortunately, I'm immortal.' Yami sweatdropped.

"You're here, you're really here." Joey whispered and Yami thought, he felt something moist run down his throat. Wondering, if his friend was crying, he brought his hands firmly to the other vampire's shoulders and pushed away slightly to get a good look at Joey's face. His cheeks were indeed marked with red streaks, tears still streaming down the blonde's face, but the smile told Yami, they were tears of happiness and relieve. Still, it confused the vampire leader to no end. Why was Joey crying for him? He looked at Tristan questionably, but all he got was more crying.

'What the hell?'

As if they had read his mind, Joey suddenly let go of his king and stepped back to where Tristan was standing. Both of them bowin down, actually kneeling before him, until Yami ordered them to rise.

The blonde immediately cleared his throat: "Yami, we're so relieved to see you're okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well…" the two exchanged glances of insecurity. "Well, after you disappeared, we became worried. It's not like you've never been away before, but… At the beginning, everything was okay. You told us, you had an appointment and we thought you might be gone for a few hours, but then… everything changed. I don't know how to describe it, but… the atmosphere in the city suddenly grew heavy. Thick with tension. We became restless, not knowing what to do- espescially when we felt the usage of magic. Real magic, not those little tricks the hunter's pulled once in a while. Our worry intesified, when you were still not coming back or at least sending a message to tell us, you were okay. Yugi was really afraid something might happen to you. We tried to calm him, telling him you could take care of yourself and it seemed to work well Though Dartz tried to manipulate your little brother, seeing his chance. It didn't work, however. Yugi resisted his manipulative attempts, until…"

"Until?"

"…Until the wizards appeared."

Yami's eyes grew wide in shock. Could it really be, what Joey was insinuating? Where they really back, all of them? Of course those three men- Ryou, Bakura and Shadee- had been real wizards, attracted here by the power of their queen. Thylea must have used her powers to free herself from Seto's grasp. That must've been, what his people had felt. What had gotten them so riled up in the first place. Of course some low-life vampire lord would try to take over in one way or the other, while Yami himself was gone. So, it had been Dartz, who tried this time.

'Figures.'

"Dartz' persuasive and inflammatory little speeches got Yugi to the edge of reason…"

"More like over it!" Tristan interjected.

"What do you mean?"

"The wizards showed up here, angry for some reason. They demanded we give back their queen. We told them, she wasn't here- and I swear she wasn't- but they wouldn't believe us and now… well, now we are preparing for battle."

"What?" Yami almost screeched.

"Yeah, I can't believe those arrogant, little punks either. I mean, we told them, we don't have her and they still insist we're hiding her, the mother-f+#°# scum. The stupid a… Hey, wait up! Where are you going?"

Yami didn't turn around. He was in no mood for Joey's little rant and he had no time to waste on arguing or waiting for the two of them. So, he just inquired, where this battle would take place and quickly left to reach his people. If anyone had the slightest chance of stopping them from doing the biggest mistake of their lifes, it was him.

(Five minutes later)

It seemed like he was too late, because the battle had already started. And not only were his people, the vampires and werewolfs fighting the wizards, no. Apparently the hunter's had joined forces with the creatures of light. So, now everyone was going at each other's throats. In some cases, very literally. Vampires were jumping the hunters, digging their canine teeth into their necks and sucking eagerly on the warm liquid dripping from the fresh wound, while werewolfs just lowered their claws into their opponents and began to rip their flesh to pieces, eating up hastily- letting their preys lie there screaming, but unable of doing anything about their impending deaths.

The sorcerers one the other hands weren't doing much better. Some were throwing fireballs out of their hands to burn a few creatures of night to crisps. Others raised up caged of earth out of the ground, then letting the walls slide towards each other crushing the trapped beings. And yet others were taking any hard material they could finf, forming them into javelins and speared them onto it. If the vampires or werewolfs were still alive they changed the materials form again until there would be no way for the victims to free themselves from the sharp object. All the while the hunters were shooting everything alive, that didn't seem human and wasn't glowing in some strange coloured light. Some even used swords or similar arms to behead or maim their enemies.

Yami watched for a moment, oddly fascinated, though utterly disgusted. Then, he decided, it was time to do something to stop this. Hopefully the wizards would listen to him and calm down. Then the only remaining problem would be the hunters. Stepping onto the battle ground he raised his voice and called for attention. No one seemed to hear him, or maybe they did and just decided to ignore him.

He tried again, but it failed.

Another try.

Still nothing.

Then…

"STOP!" Standing beside the battlefield was Anzu, one glowing hand raised to her throat.. Her voice was abnormally loud, when she called out to them. Slowly she made her way to him, her lover. Taking her place beside him, she slipped a hand into one of his larger ones, just to feel his warmth again. His presence reassured her. It soothed her, told her he wasn't alone. Be it with her opinion or just in general. "Stop. This senseless killing and blood-spilling must come to an end. Innocent people qill be hurt much less, if we would just stop fighting each other over nothing. Violence is never a solution to our problems- it always just creates more violence… Is that really what we want to teach our children and their children? How to hate, instead of how to love? How to kill, insteat of how to protect life? Is that really, how we want to be remembered by our descandents?!"

The ones that had just been fighting now stood, averting their eyes shamefully. Of course it was not! They wanted their loved ones to live a peaceful life, without the danger of being assasinated in their sleep.

Furthermore, the sorceress was right.

They had been fighting over nothing. They had started a bloody war over absolutely nothing!

The noise of weapons falling to the ground filled the field. Everyone let go of what they had been holding and all the little golourful lights faded away. Yami and Anzu sghed a sigh of relief as a comfortable silence fell over the crowd. Closing their eyes they leaned in to one another, not kissing, but just holding on to each other tightly. Just feeling themselves beeing enveloped in the other's wamrth. Feeling shielded from everything and everyone, even forgetting the prying eyes around them.

Then suddely the sick noise of a blade sliding into a body and the loud 'crack' of breaking bones disturbed the silence. Eyes wide in shock the couple looked around to find the source of said noises. They found it soon enough. A man with long bluish-green (couldn't find the german word "türkis" in the dictionary for translation) hair and two different coloured eyes- one green, one yellow- had was bent over the body of a dark-haired boy. The man had obviously tried to stab Anzu or Yami, you couldn't be sure, while the boy had put himself in between, getting hit in the process. With a loud thud, the boy fell to the ground. His hair fanning around his head finally allowed a good look onto the boy's face.

"NO!" came a masculine shout from behind them, while Anzu crouched low, trembling as if she couldn't believe what was happening.

There on the ground lay, in a pool of his own blood, Mokuba Kaiba…

**End of 14****th**** chapter!**

**A/N: **** O my god! Poor Mokuba. If you want to know, if he is going to live, you'll have to wait for the next chapter. Meanwhile, you could tell me what you thought of this one by leaving a comment. I'll give you virtual cookies -!!! **


	16. Until the end

Starcrossed Lovers

Chapter 15: Until the end

Then suddely the slick noise of a blade sliding into a body and the loud 'crack' of breaking bones disturbed the silence. Eyes wide in shock the couple looked around to find the source of said noises. They found it soon enough. A man with long bluish-green (couldn't find the german word "türkis" in the dictionary for translation) hair and two different coloured eyes- one green, one yellow- had was bent over the body of a dark-haired boy. The man had obviously tried to stab Anzu or Yami, you couldn't be sure, while the boy had put himself in between, getting hit in the process. With a loud thud, the boy fell to the ground. His hair fanning around his head finally allowed a good look onto the boy's face.

"NO!" came a masculine shout from behind them, while Anzu crouched low, trembling as if she couldn't believe what was happening.

There on the ground lay, in a pool of his own blood, Mokuba Kaiba…

"No, Mokuba!" Anzu screamed, crouching down to be level with the young boy. She put his head in her lap, wiping away strands of black hair until the grimace of pain could be seen, where once had been a peaceful face. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she but her lip and took a look on his wound. It was deep. The blade had been thrust into his flesh up to the handle and his life was quickly fading away with all the blood he was losing. "No, don't give up! Please, Mokuba, don't give up!"

Kaiba had caught up with them and was now kneeling beside his little brother. For the first time, Yami could actually see emotion on his normally stoic featueres. His eyes shone with unshed tears, his posture betrayed his rising panic and desperation. He would've never thought it possible, but Yami realized, he could actually bond with Seto now. He had almost lost his brother a few times over the centuries too and new just how frightening such an expirience could be and how protective a big brother needed to be.

All the while Anzu was contemplating what to do, how to stop the blood-loss. She had a complete black-out for a few important minutes until she remembered her heritage. She was a sorceress, she could heal him. Quickly putting her hands on the black-haired boy's wound, she let her magic flow into his body, a gentle, white glow appearing. The young woman gave it her all and concentrated as much as possible, but something was interfering. She didn't what, nor how she could stop it, but something kept her from healing her friend.

_"Maybe I still don't have enough control over my powers?!' _

"It's the dagger." Yami suddenly spoke. He marched over to the forgotten weapon, lying on the dirty ground. Holding it up, so that everybody could the the light glimmer of it's remaining magic. "It's been cursed. Dartz wanted to kill me… or you. This would've been the only way to assure that we were going to die. A normal wound, if not immediately fatal, would've just healed up."

"Speaking of which…" he added silently in a menacing tone. "Where did the bastard run off too?" Out of the corner of his eye he saw three different flashes of colour: One yellow, one brown and one lavender. Bingo! "Joey, Tristan! Get him, put him in chains and bring him back here. I need a word with that traitor!"

The vampire and the werewolf stood a little flabbergastered in the first seconds, but quickly recovered. Tristan changed into his animalistic form and made an attempt to jump the vampire lord, but Dartz was faster and off the ground, before the spikey-haired demon got him. Unfortunately for him, Joey was already waiting for him. With a fast motion the blonde smashed him down onto the ground, right infront of Yami's feet. The pharaoh and his loyal warriors smirked, but it were the wizards that took the pleasure of magically chaining the man down onto the ground.

"And now." Yami informed him. "Now, you're going to tell us , what curse you used on this dagger and how we can counter it in order to save the young lad."

All the vampire king got was a defiant look from mismatched eyes.

"I don't like to repeat myself, Dartz." Yami scowled. "You're already in deep. Don't make it harder on yourself."

This time, he earned himself a laugh.

And a response:

"Harder?! You'll kill me for what I did. You will let me burn in the sun so how am I supposed to make this harder on myself?! You're already going to give me the worst possible punishment."

Instead of answering, Yami rammed the dagger into Dartz upper leg. The lavender-haired man gave a choked cry. Blood splashed out of the wound immediately, soaked Yami's shirt and coloured his hands.

"Care to rethink that?"

"Hmpf!"

"I see, well in that case-" Yami started, but was interrupted, when a very angry Seto gave a strangled cry and jumped forward to lift the vampire lord up into the air by his collar. Threatening to to horrendous things to him, if his little brother wouldn't come out of this okay, shaking him and finally even landing a hit.

"Ah, I see, Seto agrees to my idea." Yami chuckled.

"Wh-what I-ide-a?" Dartz coughed out.

"If you don't tell me immeadiately, what curse you used, I'll no just kill you for your betrayel. I'm going to leave you to the hunter's- espescially Seto of course- for them to do with you, whatever they wish for little Mokuba's death." The vampire leader explained calmly, without even sparing the traitor a glance.

"Y-you wouldn't?"

"Try me." Was all Yami cooly stated, but the maliscious glint in his eye said everything, Dartz needed to here. It said that, not only would the pharaoh indeed leave him to the vampire hunters, but he would also be there when they tortured and expirimented on him and that he would enjoy every minute of his suffering.

"It… It was…" Dartz finally answered, defeated. The boy hadn't been his target anyway, so he explained everything and more. How he came first up with the idea over a thousand years ago. He had noticed Yami's desperate searching for the woman of his past and that the vampire leader flat out refused to take any other woman even into consideration. Thus, if he died and Yugi went "insane" over this tragic loss, the creatures of darkness would be without an heir, leaving the throne open to any member of the vampire lords. How he did his damnest to stir up the conflicts between wizards and vampires. He told them, how he had secretyl tried to get allies on both sides and even revealed the names of the other traitors, who were immediately arrested- all the while, Anzu finally healed Mokuba. "And if _I _would've killed you, the other lords would have most likely voted me to become your succsessor as I would've demonstrated, that I had the power."

Yami could just shake his head at this. How some people could be this power-thirsty was beyond him. After Dartz finished his interesting little story and everybody involved was taken care of by the Guardians of Twilight, who had stepped from the sidelines too, now that the battle itself was over, Yami and Anzu felt safe to step back into their embrace. The other members of both sides, Light and Darkness, weren't quite so eager, but some of them did manage to shake hands or make a little bit of normal conversation in a first attempt to restore the long lost peace, that once reigned between them.

_(Scene Change) _

Not long after that memorable day in Domino City the highest ranking lords and ladies of both, the Creatures of Light and the Creatures of Darkness came together in the most important conference of their history. With the Guardians of Twilight as their mediators and some of the hunters as quests, it was decided that unlike last time the sides had tried to hold piece, this time their should be a written contract for both sides to respect.

That was the beginning of a new age!

The Contract of Eternity assured both worlds their independence, but also gave them the possibility to control each other and thus keep the most important balance. They would share their jurisdiction in cases, where the peace could be put into danger. The would begin to trade goods in order to assure continious communication. Furthermore, the hunters- once total enemies of the vampires and their people- would now take up the role of magic-indepentant examiners to ascertain that everything was going according to the plan. Of course, to make sure there wouldn't be any favoritism the hunter corpse was disbanded and then newly installed with completely different people. Only Mokuba was allowed to stay, because he had proven to be trustworthy, and Seto, though only for his knowledge on computers and modern technology.

Thus the piece was kept for thousands of years, until a new problem arose: The dying of men!

On the balcony of her knew residence in australia (they had chosen it for being halfway in the middle between Atlantis and Theben), Thylea looked over the endless landscape, thinking about the past and the present. The light sounds of quiet steps broke her out of her reveré. For a moment she stiffened, but soon relaxed as she realized, who her "visitor" was. When she felt her husband's strong arms encircle her, she closed her eyes in pleasure and leaned back into his broad chest.

"Menkind is dying." She heard her voice whisper, before she could even think of what to say. _'Great, Thylea! Your husband comes home for the first time in months- and all you got to say is "Menkind is dying." Not: "Hello, dear, how was your journey?" Or "I'm glad you're back, I missed you!" No. "Menkind is dying." Even "What do you want for dinner?" would have been better.' _

"I know."

"What do we do?"

"Nothing." He said as he kissed herneck tenderly.

"Nothing?" she countered incredulously. "We just let them fade away into oblivion?"

"We can't do anything about it, can we?" he stated calmly, rubbing her arms in comfort. "It's their destiny. Their time has come and our will too. One day, another race will arise and we will be the ones to fade away and fall into the grasps of nothingness. When that day comes, none of us will be able to change that. We'll have to accept our fate."

"I know." Thylea answered gloomily.

"But until that happens there will still be a lot of centuries to live through. For know, we'll just have to watch. It's not our turn yet."

"… I'll love you until the end, Atemu."

"Me too, Thylea, mee too." He said, turning her around in his strong embrace to give her a searing kiss.

**End of Starcrossed Lovers**

**A/N: Well, we're there. This is the end. I hope it turned out good or at least acceptable as I have quite anjoyed writing this story and this was my last YGO story for a while. Therefor I would like to tell you goodbye for now with a big basket of virtual cookies and an even bigger THANK YOU to all my reviewers. **

**Bye, **

**Mayet **


End file.
